How will Philippine Senator Tito Sotto respond to the letter issued by the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights through RFK’s daughter, Kerry Kennedy? Will the Senator finally admit to his wrongdoing of plagiarizing Kennedy’s speech by translating it to Tagalog and presenting the words as his own?
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Here is a screenshot of the letter from Kerry Kennedy as posted on the news site Rappler.
And here is the letter that we need to disseminate and send to the members of the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges. We have to let them know that we do not approve of Sen. Sotto’s misconduct.
Honorable Senator:
I am one of thousands of concerned Filipino citizens protesting the disreputable conduct of Senate Majority Leader Tito Sotto. I call on the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges to address this important issue of ethics, integrity, and accountability. I believe Senator Sotto’s speeches unethically plagiarized and illegally infringed on intellectual copyright laws in the Philippines and in countries with whom we are connected through the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works.
I believe Sotto’s subsequent denials insulted the intelligence and dignity of Filipinos everywhere, and that his threats to censor his critics with the Cybercrime Act constitute an abuse of power and an attack on free speech. I believe that the Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges has the right, the mandate, and the courage to censure their colleague.
I believe in Philippine democracy, and call on you, the leaders we elected, to ensure its proper, just, and ethical function.
Send the letter to Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Miriam Defensor Santiago, Gregorio Honasan, Loren Legarda, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Lito Lapid, and Joker Arroyo. Copy these email addresses: Alancayetano@yahoo.com; miriam@miriam.com.ph; gringobhonasan@gmail.com; loren@lorenlegarda.com.ph; inquiry.bbmoffice@gmail.com; sen.litolapid@senate.gov.ph; office_sen_jokerarroyo@yahoo.com
SOURCE Rappler
I have seen the video of Sotto apologizing to the Kennedys, but with so much arrogance. What the nerve! I don’t even think it was a sincere apology. The guy is a joke in the Senate.
Nakakahiya talaga itong si Sotto. Sana bumalik nalang siya sa eat bulaga. Mas bagay siya don…
Sotto should have just apologized and not dragged this issue further. Why is it hard from Sotto’s camp to say sorry for sottocopying the lines from Kennedy’s speech?
A shame to the Filipino people. This senator will never understand the word “plagiarism.” Never ever!
Sotto said, “The people who think this is plagiarism should think again. I did not copy it, I translated it. Do they know the spelling of ‘copy’ and ‘translate’? They have low IQ!”
Sotto has low IQ.
Ms. Kerry Kennedy,
Among the basic principles of justice and fairness are to get all facts and get all sides. When we are quick to prejudge, condemn and cast aspersion on another person without observing due process, we betray our own our self-righteous stance that rings hollow like an empty shell.
As president of the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, you ought to know better before calling Senator Vicente Sotto III a thief for supposedly plagiarizing the work of your father. In your letter, you urged him “to apologize for his unethical and unsanctioned theft of Robert Kennedy’s intellectual property” and for using his supposed quotes out of context in the senator’s argument against the Reproductive Health Bill.
Justice is achieved with clarity if all facts are made available and all parties involved have given their side and utmost effort has been to this effect. Human rights is achieved when there is no bias nor prejudice, without resorting to prejudgment and name-calling that debase one’s reputation and character.
Ms. Kerry Kennedy, you flunked on both principles.
First of all, you were quick to ascribe to him an act but failing to get in touch with Senator Sotto for his side on the issue. Due process dictates that you get all pertinent facts and information, and allow the other party to present his side. Had you made a simple effort to communicate with him, you would have had a better appreciation of the issue.
The words that Senator Sotto delivered before the Senate hall which you say have been stolen were only provided to him and he delivered these without malice nor any intention to steal one’s intellectual property. The senator has no illusion of oratorical grandeur and his colleagues in the Senate can attest to that.
As your late father would have been aware of, speeches are crafted with the help of speech writers and researchers and certainly, your own father was no stranger to this. Senator Sotto, appreciating the contribution of someone in his speech, included the questioned quotes, unaware that these were translation from your father’s speech. Had he known about it, he would have certainly pointed that out in his speech. To reiterate, he has no illusion of oratorical grandeur.
Secondly, the questioned quotes were in no way meant to buttress his objection against the RH bill. If you had carefully read the context of the quotes, it was more inspirational in nature, rather than a supporting argument against the RH bill. There was no distortion, as you say it, to use it as an argument against the right to contraception. The distortion was only in your mind.
You say you have been an ardent champion of human rights, but when you are quick to judge, you betray your own belief. You certainly do not have to resort to inflammatory and derogatory words that violate human dignity and reputation, to stress your point. We should allow room for civility.
Even the character of Miguel Syjuco who is behind this manipulation is questionable. He has been proven critical of the Senator because of their different position of the Reproductive Health. It is disappointing to know that you have allowed yourself and your organization to be used by a shady and self-righteous individual.
We ask that you apologize for meddling in the affairs of our country and allow our legislators to remain independent in performing their duties without pressure.
IRENE A. DRIO (sgd)
PRESIDENT