Deputy House Speaker and Bacolod City Rep. Alfredo Abelardo Benitez on Thursday, October 15, strongly condemned the discriminatory and insulting remarks directed at Josh Aquino in a viral podcast, warning that freedom of expression is not a license to demean persons with special needs.
In a statement posted on his official Facebook page, Benitez emphasized that derogatory jokes directed at individuals on the autism spectrum perpetuate ableism and undermine human dignity.
“As the author of House Bill No. 3379, the National Autism Care, Support, and Inclusion Act, I firmly believe that persons with autism deserve understanding, equal opportunities, and genuine acceptance, not cruelty and ridicule,” Benitez said.
House Bill No. 3379, filed by Benitez to support an estimated 1.2 million Filipinos living with autism, aims to establish a National Autism Center (NAC) under the Department of Health (DOH), mandate free therapy sessions, and provide financial support for families of persons on the spectrum.
The lawmaker’s response follows widespread public outrage over a now-deleted episode of the comedy podcast Machong Chismisan, titled “Ang Pagbabalik Ni Kris Aquino”.
In the episode published on October 5, host Tito P compared Josh Aquino to his younger brother Bimby, making fun of his physical posture and describing him as “walang kwenta (useless)” while co-hosts laughed along in the clip.
Addressing the viral incident, Benitez criticized the remarks for reinforcing harmful stereotypes against persons with disabilities (PWDs).
“Calling someone ‘walang kwenta’ because of his special needs is not just insensitive — it is an attack on his dignity and worth as a human being,” Benitez stressed, adding that such behavior should never be tolerated.
Benitez reminded the public that having autism does not lessen a person’s value or entitlement to respect, reinforcing that a person’s condition is never a reason to trample on their dignity.
He urged the public to choose compassion and inclusion over discrimination, concluding that “no one should ever be made to feel worthless for being different.”
Benitez joins a growing list of public figures, advocacy groups, and prominent personalities condemning the podcast hosts.
Following the online outrage, podcast distributor The Pod Network formally terminated its contract with Machong Chismisan on Thursday, removing the show from its network platform.
The show’s hosts, including Makoy Pare and Tito P, issued public apologies for the insensitive comments.*
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