PWD groups call out former Speaker Alvarez for using autism as insult
MANILA, Philippines — Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (Davao del Norte), former House speaker is under fire from groups and advocates for persons with disabilities over a live-streamed tirade where he used autism as an insult against a political opponent.
Alvarez, at a campaign rally in Panabo City, Davao del Norte on Friday, made fun of De Carlo "Oyo" Uy — a candidate for vice governor — and called him a "special child" due to his being "autistic." The event was livestreamed on the official Facebook page of presidential aspirant Sen. Panfilo Lacson.
"Special child yan! Tingnan nyo ang mga tarps. Titigan nyo kung di ba special child yan. Sa smile pa lang, autistic!" he said.
(He is a special child! Look at his tarps and see if he is a special child. You can tell by his smile that he is autistic)
"Wag kalimutan, para wala nang tumakbo na special child sa Davao del Norte as bise gobernador, tulungan natin si Monsour del Rosario sa Senado. Wag yang special child kasi patay tayo diyan!...Yan ang normal! Yan ang normal na smile (That's what a normal smile looks like)," he added, pointing at the picture of his endorsement.
In a statement, non-government advocacy organization PWD Philippines called the remarks "an affront to all parents of children living with autism."
"We know that trash talk is part of electioneering, but please lay off the children with disabilities because it is insulting to our community," the statement reads.
Section 39 of Republic Act No. 9442 defines public ridicule as "an act of making fun or contemptuous imitating or making mockery of persons with disability whether in writing, or in words, or in action due to their impairment/s."
The following section adds: "No individual, group or community shall execute any of these acts of ridicule against persons with disability in any time and place which could intimidate or result in loss of self-esteem of the latter."
In a series of tweets, senatorial candidate and former National Council for Disability Affairs executive director Carmen Zubiaga called on Alvarez to apologize, saying his rant was "not a civilized act."
Persons with disabilities of Davao, especially parents of children with autism, were angered and hurt by this and ready to file complaints in CHR and COMELEC. This is even blatant than Mocha Case against the Deaf Sector. Apologize G.Alvarez. That is not a civilized act https://t.co/paxSGPRrms
— CARMEN ZUBIAGA-TINIG NG PWD SA SENADO (@carmenzubiaga) February 13, 2022
"Persons with disabilities of Davao, especially parents of children with autism, were angered and hurt by this and ready to file complaints in the [Commission on Human Rights] and the [Commission on Elections]," she said.
"This is not the kind of public official we want to elect. Never use disability to discredit your rival."
At an online forum over the weekend, Dr. Maureen Mata of the Comelec Vulnerable Sectors Office said that the commission observed an increase in voter registration among persons with disabilities with over 511,000 registered as of November.
"How can you expect people to vote for you when your words betray your true intentions Mr. Alvarez? You should apologize to the PWD community because we are voters too!" PWD Philippines said.
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