DLSU prof welcomes criticism of VP race analysis but mulls charges vs bashers

De La Salle University (DLSU) political science professor Antonio Contreras on Wednesday said he welcomes debate on his and statistician David Yap's exposé of alleged anomalies in the recent vice presidential race.

However, he is also mulling libel charges against critics who he believes have overstepped the boundaries of civility.

“Alam ko kung kailan tama na, pati pagkatao ko tinitira na. Ako raw ay slow, just paid and a poor excuse for an academic,” Contreras said in a phone interview with GMA News Online.

Contreras said that, while he welcomes criticism of their work, he draws the line at "below the belt" attacks.

“It is really sad that we welcome scientific criticism but some people have already gone beyond the scientific peer review and have gone to libelous statements,” he said.

“People are mocking us, people are ridiculing us for making that statement. People know me as a very careful social scientist. I based my statements on what I have, on data,” he added.

Contreras and Yap earlier claimed to have found irregularities in the counting of transmitted votes in the recent vice-presidential race. The pair summarized their findings with a now-infamous "inverted V-shaped graph" that purportedly showed an unusual uptick in votes for Leni Robredo along with a downturn in votes for her rival, Bongbong Marcos.

But on Tuesday, over 100 data scientists signed a consolidated statement claiming that the graph showed nothing out of the ordinary and was supposedly exactly what was to be expected from the vote transmissions. 

The full statement and the names of all 104 signatories is available here.

However, Contreras questioned the scientists' analysis, pointing out that the pattern he and Yap described only appeared between Robredo and Marcos, and nowhere else.

“Is that something you expect?  In the first place if something is expected, it should be the norm. Then why is it only exhibited in one out of the 15 possible pairs?” he asked.

Contreras also argued that if transmissions from Robredo’s bailiwicks came later, as his critics assert, then Marcos’ lead should have tapered before Robredo started to take the lead.

“Kung unang bumabato ang mga regions ni Marcos, lumalamang pa rin siya pero dapat nabawasan na ang lamang niya spagkat nauubos na ang mga boto niya. Bakit nakarating pang 80 percent bago kumaunti lamang niya?” he said.

In any case, Contreras welcomed the widespread discussion and debate that he and Yap had sparked.

"I respect the right of people to make statements. Nakaka-flatter nga, imagine dalawa lang kami ni David (Yap), pero we can generate this much disagreement. If you are an academic, that’s good, you’re creating a discussion,” he said.

However, Contreras reminded the public to keep the discussion civil and not to resort to libelous statements and death threats.

“I have had enough of people going beyond the bounds of scientific peer review and descending into libel. I have had enough of people who attack my name and my honor,” he said in a recent Facebook post.

“Kasi lahat naman tayo dito nag-e-express lang ng opinions. Dapat galangan ‘to,” he told GMA News. — TJD, GMA News