PRESIDENTIAL aspirant Senator Benigno Aquino III complained yesterday that critics and political rivals were spreading malicious and baseless claims that he was suffering from autism.
Aquino nearly blew his top when Standard Today asked him to react on talk in political circles that he was the unnamed presidential aspirant with autism that former Senator Ernesto Maceda had written about in his “Mr. Exposé†column in the Daily Tribune Tuesday.
“Autism is the talk of the town because of indications that a major national candidate is autistic,†Maceda wrote in his column.
“Do I have to answer something like that?†Aquino shot back yesterday.
“To be honest, I have a degree from a very prestigious university in this country.â€ÂÂ
Aquino, an economics graduate from the Ateneo de Manila University, said: “I am responding to something I don’t know I can be alluded to in any manner, shape, form whatsoever. And if these are the questions that you and your paper will propound to me, I would rather not talk to any of you anymore. Thank you.â€ÂÂ
He then returned to his seat.
His uncle, former Senator Agapito Aquino, laughed off Maceda’s claim.
“It’s not true. There is nothing wrong with Noynoy,†Agapito said.
“He is just quiet. And because he was quiet and chose to be out-shadowed by everyone around him, his father Ninoy, his mother Cory and sister Kris, he chose to stay in the background. So his being quiet made his generation and childhood friends tease him that he has his own world.â€ÂÂ
Autism is a disorder of neural development that is characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old.
Noynoy Aquino, the uncle said, took after the intelligent father and mother.
“How do we tease someone who is intelligent? We call him a nerd, right? And someone who is quiet? Autistic.â€ÂÂ
Butz Aquino said he was even quieter than his nephew when his brother and Aquino’s father, the slain former Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., was still alive.
“Everybody would keep quiet when Ninoy started to speak,’’ Butz Aquino recalled, holding back his laughter.
“He monopolized the conversation. Everyone got mesmerized by his stories. When he talked about the Maggie dela Riva rape story, he would recount it like he was the fifth rapist, like he was there.â€ÂÂ
Just like Ninoy, Noynoy was forced to mature early, he said.
“Ninoy was only 15 when our father died; I was only eight. Noynoy, an only son, was only in his 20s when his father was assassinated. The father and son were thrust into the role of head of the family at such a young age,†Butz Aquino said.
He said Ninoy even let house guests and political allies into their master’s bedroom.
“Cory would even complain that the guests were using their hand towels †he said.
“All those times, the only son was just observing. But it also showed Noynoy’s strong character and self-confidence,’’ Butz Aquino said.
“He did not have to flaunt his intelligence or be loud to get noticed.â€ÂÂ
Asked why Maceda, who was part of the 1978 Laban senatorial slate of the then detained Benigno Aquino Jr., and who later joined the Aquinos in their US exile, would cast aspersion on the son, Butz Aquino answered in Pilipino: “Kulang sa pansin.’’
