It’s Showtime’s Tawag ng Tanghalan Season 3 Ultimate Resbak winner and finalist Mariko Ledesma decided to beg off from the grand finals this week because of personal reasons, saying she had suffered mental and emotional trauma due to online bashing.
In a statement Mariko released on social media, she said she wants to give herself time to deal with depression. “Hindi madali sa akin ang pag-quit ko sa TNT pero mas mahihirapan po ako kung ipagpapatuloy ko pa ang laban kung [ako] ay nagsa-suffer sa depression,” she admitted. She added that she received a lot of criticisms and personal attacks from people through private messages and even text messages after she faced Mariane Osabel in the Ultimate Resbak last Tuesday, September 11.
The show’s hosts announced her decision before resbaker Kim Nemenzo won her face-off against Audrey Malaiba to enter the grand finals, joining Elaine Duran, Ranillo Enriquez, John Mark Saga, John Michael Dela Cerna, Charizze Arnigo, Jonas Onate, Violeta Bayawa, Julius Cawaling, Rafaello Canedo, Shaina Mae Allaga, and Jermaine Apil.