After mocking a person with a disability, now he's pulling out the "mental health card"
Tito P of the podcast "Machong Chismisan" skipped the NBI (National Bureau of Investigation) invitation earlier this week, citing mental health issues. The NBI summoned him over a now-deleted episode in which he made fun of Josh Aquino by comparing him to his younger brother Bimby Aquino, while the rest of the hosts seemed to laugh along.
The episode drew heavy backlash from netizens, with many criticizing the hosts' inappropriate remarks.
Daniel Vivar was the first to appear before the NBI, while Tito P sent a letter through his legal representative explaining why he couldn't attend, citing his mental health. John Daniel Castro of the 1PWD party-list, who filed the complaint against the hosts and the production team, said he would verify whether Tito P's claimed diagnoses of bipolar disorder and ADHD are true, since the letter came with no supporting documents.
"We need to confirm whether he, Tito P, was really diagnosed with the bipolar disorder and ADHD he's talking about. There were no attachments to the letter… That can never be an excuse. We will not let him use a disability to escape accountability for what he did to persons with disabilities."
Meanwhile, NBI Director Melvin Matibag said that even if the hosts choose not to come to the headquarters for the investigation, the probe will continue and the podcast itself will be used as the basis for the charges.
"Even if they don't show up, we will rely on their podcast itself and what happened in it. Under the Magna Carta for Persons with Disabilities (Republic Act 7277, as amended by Republic Act 9442), publicly mocking and vilifying persons with disabilities is prohibited and carries fines and imprisonment."
Earlier, Tito P issued a statement saying he is neurodivergent himself and has learned from his actions, and Machong Chismisan also posted a public apology, saying they would take responsibility.
"As a person with ADHD, there are times when impulse control makes it hard for me to filter my thoughts. A dark joke pops into my head, and before my executive function can weigh the social risk, it has already come out of my mouth. I'm not saying this to make excuses, but to give some context." — Tito P, in an earlier statement
Where did the machos go? Their whole vibe just got crushed lol
I still think it's BS I have ADHD, and even as a joke I've never thought of anyone else as useless. What I've learned in life is that if you're the only one laughing and the person being made fun of isn't, it's not a joke. It's belittling someone and making them a laughingstock. It's annoying that they use impulse control as an excuse. The real problem is their belief that neurodivergent people are useless.
Just like politicians. The moment they get entangled in something, they suddenly say they're sick. I guarantee that if the case gets dismissed or they're acquitted (please no), all those illnesses will vanish.
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