Sotto decries cyberbullying, says plagiarism charges demolition job

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday decried as cyberbullying the flak he has suffered via social media for allegedly plagiarizing a part of his speech against the controversial Reproductive Health (RH) bill, saying it is part of a demolition job against him.

 

"Ako na po yata ang kauna-unahang senador ng Pilipinas na naging biktima ng cyberbullying. Naniniwala po ako na ito ay bahagi lamang ng isang hatchet o demolition job laban sa akin upang humina ang aking paninindigan laban sa RH bill," Sotto said in a privilege speech.

 

Sotto's remarks came after he received harsh criticism, particularly on Facebook and Twitter, over accusations that he had lifted a part of his Turno En Contra from a US blogger.

 

In his speech, Sotto moved that the paragraph which contains a reference to a book by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, the subject of the alleged plagiarism, be stricken off the Senate records "in order to lay this matter to rest."

 

But he maintained that those who bashed him probably didn't listen to his actual speech delivered on August 14 and just read a copy.

 

"Marahil ay di nila natandaan ang aking sinabi na aking ad-lib o extemporaneous portion ng aking talumpati, nang sinabi ko ang ganitong mga kataga:

 

“Hindi po ako nagdudunung-dunungan dito. Hindi ko po iniimbento ito. Itong mga kino-quote ko po dito ay mga fact na pinatotohanan ng mga eksperto sa larangan ng agham at batas.”

 

"In other words, yung akin pong claim of ownership pabaliktad dinidisclaim ko nga na sa akin galing ang expert opinions na nandoon, maliwanag po ako dun," he said.

 

But despite this, he said he was fiercely attacked by people, especially those pushing for the RH bill.

 

"Bahagi siguro ito ng kanilang istratehiya, ito yung mga sinasabi kong nasa likod nitolalo pa’t meron pong milyun-milyon silang pondo na umiikot para dito. Siguro sabi nila “If you can’t kill the message, kill the messenger," he said.

 

Sotto said this was evident in how his critics skidded over his arguments against the RH bill itself.

 

"Hindi po sinagot ng mga detractors ko yun, ang kanilang sinagot plagiarism," he said.

 

"Kahit mukha po akong walang pinag-aralan kung ikukumpara sa mga pinag-aral nila o ako'y hindi kasing dunong nila, ang mahalaga po ay ang ipinaglalaban ko," he said.  Accusation of plagiarism

 

During his speech on Wednesday, Sotto countered calls for sanctions against him by saying plagiarism was not a crime in the Philippines.  

 

He also said that he cannot be held liable for copyright infringement.

 

"Itong mga ito, ang galing manira. Ang panlaban ko po dun [ay] ang mg kababayan po natin, kilala ako," he said.

 

"Pinagtatanggol ko ang aking sarili at ipagdadasal ko na lang sila, ipagdadasal ko sila na kapag dumating ang daktang pahanon na kinuha na sila ni Lord, sana huwag silang tanungin ni Lord [na] ilan bang tao siniraan mo, ilan bang tao hinusgahan mo? Mahihirapan ho sila [na] sagutin iyan," he added.

 

Sotto said he was particularly offended by those who criticized even his stint as one of the hosts of the noontime show, Eat Bulaga.

 

"Mas gusto ko nang maging payaso at pasayahin ang mga tao kesa sa kanila na nagsasabi ng masama laban sa kapwa," he said.  "Kami po sa Eat Bulaga ay daan-daang po ang mga taong tinutulungan nun araw-araw, libu-libo at milyun-milyon ang tumatangkilik, samantalang itong mga tumutuligsa at namimintas sa akin, ilan kaya ang natulungan nila? Kung meron man?" he added. Separate from RH issue

 

After Sotto delivered his speech, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile backed the actor-politician by saying that the plagiarism accusation was separate from the RH issue.

 

"Totoo ba o tama ba yung kanyang sinabi upang suportahan yung kanyang paninindigan tungkol dito sa panukalang batas na nakasalang sa ating Senado. Kung mayroon man siyang kasalanan, ang sinasabi ko ay ibang usapan yun at palagay ko naman ang ating kasama dito sa Senado ay kaya niyang panindigan yung paratang sa kanya," Enrile said.

 

But Enrile stressed that he is not in favor of plagiarism.

 

In fact, he said it is probably time to pass a bill addressing the issue because under Philippine laws, plagiarism is not a crime.

 

"Siguro marahil para maliwanagan ito at magkaroon na itong patakaran o reglamento na susundin ng lahat ay magpanukala tayo ng batas at ilagay natin dun kung ano ang mga karapatan ng mga may blogs para sa ganun ay maliwanag para di na ito mangyayari," Enrile said.

 

"Para from here on, alam natin ang hangganan ng bawat isa sa atin tungkol sa mga bagay na ito sapagkat sa aking kaalaman, eh kung hindi naman copyrighted sa bansa natin yun eh it becomes something that you can quote within reason naman. There's no law which prohibits it, which restricts the person from using it," he added.

 

Sotto agreed and the issue was referred to the Senate committees on public information and mass media, and science and technology. — RSJ, GMA News