Local Twitter is supporting actress Nadine Lustre who called out suspended DZMM anchor Jobert Sucaldito for continuously refusing to acknowledge the implications of his statements on the actress’ condition following his appearance at an ABS-CBN hearing.
The former showbiz news anchor was invited to appear at the House of Representatives to serve as a resource person as the lower chamber tackled the media giant’s franchise renewal on Tuesday.
During which, Sucaldito recalled that he was suspended by the station after he previously made remarks against Lustre. His comments were deemed to be encouraging suicide and mocking her mental health condition.
He then defended himself by claiming that he didn’t encourage the actress to commit self-harm and added that his suspension was a result of a supposed illegal dismissal by the network.
“Nalulungkot ako lalo every time I would hear Sir Carlo Katigbak saying that they are concerned about the people who will lose jobs kasi kawawa naman sila, walang makain. But what about us?” Sucaldito said in the House hearing.
“Napakaharsh ng inyong desisyon. Napakacruel ninyo,” he added, referring to his suspension.
Lustre clapped back through Instagram Stories and called Sucaldito “completely unashamed” of his actions. She also questioned why he was invited to speak before the lower chamber.
“You’re not seeing the bigger picture, Mr. Sucaldito. It’s messed up how you are completely unashamed of what you said. It’s never okay to push someone to commit suicide. I can’t believe you’re using this issue to fight our home network whose only objective is to protect us,” she wrote.
“Kahit pagbali-baliktarin mo, mali ‘yung sinabi mo. Inalis ka sa trabaho dahil MALI ‘YUNG SINABI MO and how is this even on Congress?! Someone enlighten me. PLEASE. Ikaw na nga ‘yung sinabihan na tumalon tapos parang kasalanan mo pa?? I’m sick and tired of these boomers treating mental issues like it’s a mf joke. Ayoko na. ‘Di ko na kaya mga ganap mumsh!” Lustre added.
The suspension
Sucaldito was suspended by DZMM, the flagship radio station of ABS-CBN, in January after he made an inappropriate remark against the actress.
The veteran host defended his colleague Ricky Lo, who previously drew flak over his erroneous story on breakup rumors surrounding Lustre and then-boyfriend James Reid.
Lo, a veteran entertainment editor, earlier published a report wherein he associated the alleged breakup to Lustre’s health condition.
“Di ba iyon naman ang gusto nila? Kuno-kuno na may mga labas ng puwet, naka T-back pa doon sa building, tapos may mga nakalagay na caption na parang gustong tumalon sa building,” he said before as he referred to a photo of Lustre wearing a bikini on a balcony of a building.
READ: Veteran host Jobert Sucaldito also slammed by Nadine Lustre fans over mental health remarks
On Wednesday, ABS-CBN Push reported that Sucaldito was suspended from the radio station as standard procedure when a probe had taken place following the incident.
He later filed a complaint at the Department of Labor and Employment, accusing DZMM of supposed illegal dismissal.
The radio station refuted his claims and said that Sucaldito was given the chance to “explain his side on the matter.”
It added that it was not the first time he has been investigated for “violations of the network’s standards and ethics manual, the KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas) Broadcast Code, and provisions of his contract.”
Nadine and mental health
Lustre’s remarks were lauded by the local online community who reshared her posts on Instagram Stories and backed her up in her attempt to call out the suspended radio anchor on the issue towards mental health.
This prompted her first name to land on local Twitter’s top trending list on Wednesday afternoon.
A Twitter fan account dedicated to the actress also wrote: “Whether it’s Nadine or not, it’s never right to treat mental health illness as a joke. It’s a sensitive matter that may trigger an enormous impact if not taken seriously.”
Another Twitter user claimed that Lustre was not just speaking for herself, but speaking on behalf of other people who have been “dealing with mental illness” as well.
“It’s about damn time to realize it is NEVER okay to use someone’s mental illness as a way to insult him/her. It’s a sensitive matter that it should be taken seriously,” the online user wrote.
MentalHealthPH, a social media advocacy group aiming to promote and protect mental health, also backed Lustre’s online remarks.
“We stand with Ms Nadine. Mental illness is never a joke,” the account tweeted.
The group also reshared a video of the actress in 2018 where she imparted a message to those who are dealing with their own unseen battles.
“We stand with Ms Nadine. Mental illness is never a joke. Sharing here her message in 2018 for all those who carry their own fight. Thank you for being that voice of hope to many, Ms Nadine!” it said.
Lustre is one of the figures in the local showbiz industry who is vocal about mental health.
She previously launched a campaign for mental health awareness following the death of her brother in 2017 and urged her followers not to be too hard on themselves.
“If you ever hit rock bottom, don’t be ashamed of opening up to your loved ones. If anyone understands and cares about what you’re going through, it’s them,” Lustre wrote on Instagram before.
“IT’S OKAY to be sad. IT’S OKAY to feel pain. IT’S OKAY to be vulnerable. We are made to have emotions. Don’t be afraid to let it out,” she added.