๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก๐ง ๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก | ๐๐ด๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ย ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฐ๐๐น๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ผ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฎ๐น ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฎ | ๐๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ถ๐น ๐ด, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฑ
It has come to the attention of the Council of a viral reel post circulating on social media showing physical injury/maltreatment and potential public ridicule against a man with physical disability. In the reel, a man with crutches was smacked on the head, finger pointed at, and possibly mocked by the man in an unidentified city uniform. This physical assault led the man with crutches to go away, experiencing public humiliation.
We, the National Council on Disability Affairs, strongly condemn such maltreatments and other similar degrading and inhumane acts against persons with disability. Physical injury and/or maltreatment is a criminal act in direct violation of Article 266 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC). Moreover, if the case has been filed and the accused be found guilty of public ridicule, he is also liable to RA 9442, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability.
Any individual or group found committing such abominable offenses of physically injuring /maltreating and publicly ridiculing persons with disability shall be liable to corresponding fines and/or imprisonment as stipulated under Article 266 of RPC and RA 9442.
We call on relevant authorities, including the Department of Interior and Local Government, law enforcement agencies such as the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Persons with Disabilities Offices (PDAOs) to intensify their efforts to monitor and apprehend abusive individuals who are clearly in violation of human rights, more importantly committed against vulnerable sectors such as persons with disability.
Furthermore, we urge the public to be vigilant and to report cases of similar criminal acts committed against persons with disabilities to the PNP, Persons with Disabilities Offices (PDAOs), and NCDA throughย council@ncda.gov.ph.
As the national lead agency on disability affairs, NCDA reaffirms its unwavering commitment to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities. We stand firm in upholding respect for their inherent dignity and call on all sectors of society to join us in rejecting and condemning all forms of human rights violation against the disability community.
โ National Council on Disability Affairs
