The Legislative Branch of Government

[tigidig14]

^galing rin, ok-

[Nabartek]

Originally Posted by Askal82

Suggestion lang naman na sana ganon lang kasimple yan.

I based it on the principle that the Constitution is more of a social contract than a supreme law of the land so that's why the Bill of Rights and the Powers of the State are enumerated, defining the extent of their powers and their limitations.

Syempre, malaki na ang coverage nyan- pati na yung national interest that could serve as the guidelines for our economic, social, industrial and other policies.

Dapat maging flexible ang Consitution sa mga pagbabago para sumabay sa takbo ng panahon at hindi na ulit magkaroon ng charter change.

IDK, I like how more precise the Phil Constitution is than the US constitution. You see, nagagamit ng mga illegal sa US ang 14th amendment at citizenship clause na yan sa anchor babies nila while walang lusot sa Phil citizenship unless magunder the table ka.

I think konting tweak lang sa mga outdated things, we're okay.

[tigidig14]

^theyre so similar that filipino lawyers could practice in california or new york if pursue

[Nabartek]

The Phil constitution is a mixture of American FRAMEWORK and the old Spanish civil code.

[Parchie]

Originally Posted by Nabartek

The Phil constitution is a mixture of American FRAMEWORK and the old Spanish civil code.

And pinoy gobbledygook plus tactlessness in the implementation! Homaygawd!

[sicnarf]

Sotto's anti-RH speech copied from US blogger who writes about recipes



August 15, 2012 11:07pm

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story...-about-recipes

Sen. Tito Sotto's emotional story on the Senate floor last Monday about the death of his son may have come from his heart, but at least one lengthy passage from his speech came from someone else's blog.

Sotto's description of the purported ill effects of birth control pills on unborn children was lifted nearly word for word from the blog of "Sarah, the healthy home economist," a US-based writer who also opposes vaccines for children and offers recipes for goodies like grain-free pumpkin cookies.

Sotto did not attribute any of his words or research to "Sarah, the healthy home economist," whose disclaimer cautions that "the nutritional and other information on this website are not intended to be and do not constitute health care or medical advice."

The plagiarism was first exposed by Alfredo Melgar on the blog Filipino freethinkers.

Here is a comparison of Sotto’s speech and Sarah’s blog:

1. Sotto’s speech (from second to last paragraph):

“According, to Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, the use of the pill also causes severe gut dysbiosis. What is worse, drug induced gut imbalance is especially intractable and resistant to treatment either with probiotics or diet change.”

Sarah’s blog:

“According, to Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, use of other drugs such as the Pill also cause severe gut dybiosis. What’s worse, drug induced gut imbalance is especially intractable and resistant to treatment either with probiotics or diet change.”

2. Sotto’s speech:

“Gut imbalance brought on through use of the pill negatively impacts the ability to digest food and absorb nutrients. As a result, even if a woman eats spectacularly well during pregnancy, if she has been taking oral contraceptives for a period of time beforehand, it is highly likely that she and her baby are not reaping the full benefits of all this healthy food as the lack of beneficial flora in her gut preclude this from occurring.”

Sarah’s blog:

“Gut imbalance brought on through use of The Pill negatively impacts the ability to digest food and absorb nutrients. As a result, even if a women eats spectacularly well during pregnancy, if she has been taking oral contraceptives for a period of time beforehand, it is highly likely that she and her baby are not reaping the full benefits of all this healthy food as the lack of beneficial flora in her gut preclude this from occurring.”

3. Sotto’s speech:

“Pathogenic, opportunistic flora that take hold in the gut when the pill is used constantly produce toxic substances which are the by-products of their metabolism. These toxins leak into the woman’s bloodstream and they have the potential to cross the placenta. Therefore, gut dysbiosis exposes the fetus to toxin.”

Sarah’s blog:

“Pathogenic, opportunistic flora that take hold in the gut when The Pill is used constantly produce toxic substances which are the by-products of their metabolism. These toxins leak into the woman’s bloodstream and guess what, they have the potential to cross the placenta! Therefore, gut dysbiosis exposes the fetus to toxins.”

4. Sotto’s speech:

“Not well known is also the fact that use of the pill depletes zinc in the body. Zinc is called 'the intelligence mineral' as it is intimately involved in mental development.”

Sarah’s blog:

“Not well known is the fact that use of The Pill depletes zinc in the body. Zinc is called 'the intelligence mineral' as it is intimately involved in mental development.”

— DVM/HS, GMA News

[wino]

haha huli ka

mga politiko talaga..

[Nabartek]

Naalala ko dati, sa Manny Pangilinan.

Have these people been schooled? o.o

[3cr]

Wonder what sorry ass excuse will Sen. Sotto give for his blatant plagiarism of Sara's Blog in his nationally televised “turno en contra” speech?
Shame on him for having the audacity and arrogance to do such a thing. Sen. Sotto should resign if there is any decency left in him.

Sotto’s Reckless Method of Legislation is Inexcusable
http://filipinofreethinkers.org/2012...s-inexcusable/

Senator Tito Sotto suffered a personal loss with the death of his son. We understand his grief. What we cannot understand is why he chose to rely on a blogger to explain his son’s death.

Right before asserting that he lost a child due to contraceptives, Sotto said he has scientific proof about the “damaging effects to children born from mothers who were using contraceptives prior to their pregnancy.” He then went on a lengthy explanation about gut imbalance, opportunistic flora, exposure of the fetus to toxins and zinc depletion.

His scientific proof was copied entirely and almost word-for-word from an article by a blogger calling herself “Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist.”

Do the comparison yourself. See the second to the last paragraph of Sotto’s speech and Sarah’s blog.

Sotto’s speech

Actually, these contraceptives are not just detrimental to women and the unborn. They are scientifically proven to have damaging effects to children born from mothers who were using contraceptives prior to their pregnancy too. According, to Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, the use of the pill also causes severe gut dysbiosis. What is worse, drug induced gut imbalance is especially intractable and resistant to treatment either with probiotics or diet change. 1 Gut imbalance brought on through use of the pill negatively impacts the ability to digest food and absorb nutrients. As a result, even if a woman eats spectacularly well during pregnancy, if she has been taking oral contraceptives for a period of time beforehand, it is highly likely that she and her baby are not reaping the full benefits of all this healthy food as the lack of beneficial flora in her gut preclude this from occurring. 2 Pathogenic, opportunistic flora that take hold in the gut when the pill is used constantly produce toxic substances which are the by-products of their metabolism. These toxins leak into the woman’s bloodstream and they have the potential to cross the placenta. Therefore, gut dysbiosis exposes the fetus to toxins. 3 Not well known is also the fact that use of the pill depletes zinc in the body. Zinc is called “the intelligence mineral” as it is intimately involved in mental development. 4

Comparing Sotto's Speech and Sarah’s blog:

1. Sotto’s speech (from second to last paragraph):

“According, to Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, the use of the pill also causes severe gut dysbiosis. What is worse, drug induced gut imbalance is especially intractable and resistant to treatment either with probiotics or diet change.”

Sarah’s blog:

“According, to Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD, use of other drugs such as the Pill also cause severe gut dybiosis. What’s worse, drug induced gut imbalance is especially intractable and resistant to treatment either with probiotics or diet change.”

2. Sotto’s speech:

“Gut imbalance brought on through use of the pill negatively impacts the ability to digest food and absorb nutrients. As a result, even if a woman eats spectacularly well during pregnancy, if she has been taking oral contraceptives for a period of time beforehand, it is highly likely that she and her baby are not reaping the full benefits of all this healthy food as the lack of beneficial flora in her gut preclude this from occurring.”

Sarah’s blog:

“Gut imbalance brought on through use of The Pill negatively impacts the ability to digest food and absorb nutrients. As a result, even if a women eats spectacularly well during pregnancy, if she has been taking oral contraceptives for a period of time beforehand, it is highly likely that she and her baby are not reaping the full benefits of all this healthy food as the lack of beneficial flora in her gut preclude this from occurring.”

3. Sotto’s speech:

“Pathogenic, opportunistic flora that take hold in the gut when the pill is used constantly produce toxic substances which are the by-products of their metabolism. These toxins leak into the woman’s bloodstream and they have the potential to cross the placenta. Therefore, gut dysbiosis exposes the fetus to toxin.”

Sarah’s blog:

“Pathogenic, opportunistic flora that take hold in the gut when The Pill is used constantly produce toxic substances which are the by-products of their metabolism. These toxins leak into the woman’s bloodstream and guess what, they have the potential to cross the placenta! Therefore, gut dysbiosis exposes the fetus to toxins.”

4. Sotto’s speech:

“Not well known is also the fact that use of the pill depletes zinc in the body. Zinc is called 'the intelligence mineral' as it is intimately involved in mental development.”

Sarah’s blog:

“Not well known is the fact that use of The Pill depletes zinc in the body. Zinc is called 'the intelligence mineral' as it is intimately involved in mental development.”


Sotto should know that Sarah has also written several articles against vaccination, with a summary piece entitled “Six Reasons To Say NO to Vaccination” having these two wild and reckless claims:
◦ALL Vaccines are Loaded with Chemicals and other Poisons
◦Fully Vaccinated Children are the Unhealthiest, Most Chronically Ill Children I Know

Sotto should also have read Sarah’s disclaimer on her site which says: “The information on this website is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for the advice provided by your doctor or other health care professional. … The nutritional and other information on this website are not intended to be and do not constitute health care or medical advice.”

Sotto ignored decades of studies and declarations by the World Health Organization and the Department of Health that contraceptives are safe, only to rely on an unknown blogger making wild claims. He even ignored the blogger’s disclaimer. Sotto’s reckless method of legislation is inexcusable.

[Nabartek]

I wonder if si Sotto gumawa nyan o may mga speechwriter din ba ang mga senatongs?

Time for us to take plagiarism seriously. Should start at schools

[red_jasper]

Sotto: Why should I quote a blogger?

Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III denied lifting passages written by a blogger who calls herself, “Sarah, the Healthy Home Economist.”

In an interview on Headstart on ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel, Sotto said he did not plagiarize in his “turno en contra” speech against the Reproductive Health (RH) bill. Sotto guested on the show on Thursday, August 16.

“Pareho kami ng pinagkuhan. (We got it from the same source.) I’m quoting Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride. Even in my first speech and my second speech, lagi kong sinasabi, hindi galing sa akin ito, kinuha ko ito kay Natasha McBride (I always say, this is not coming from me, I'm getting it from Natasha McBride.) Why should I quote a blogger?”

The senator was referring to the doctor he cited as part of what he called expert opinion and scientific studies showing the damaging effect of contraceptives to children born to mothers who used contraception.

Sotto added that his staff did not examine blogs in getting research to debunk arguments of the RH advocates.

Full story here

[3cr]

Naks Palusot! So this is Sen. Sotto's reply to the allegations of plagiarism in his “turno en contra” speech. Just used the same sources he said and didn't plagiarized from Sarah's Blog. What a sorry ass excuse as expected. So how come he didn't say something like "I quote" and "end quote" in his “turno en contra” speech then? Just that in essence by not doing this, Sen. Sotto had basically lifted word for word somebody's work without due recognition. Isn't that plagiarism still? It's like saying he and Sarah's Blog both plagiarized from the same sources they got their info from which is why they both ended up with respective works that's almost word for word. If you won't quote the source then better put it in your own words. Politicians talaga mahilig magpalusot. Sorry Sen. Sotto we're not that gullible!

[3cr]

Tsk, tsk, tsk... Lumabas din ang totoo! So there was indeed plagiarism as suspected/reported. In reality, Sen. Sotto should take responsibility for the contents of his speech. Ignorance is no excuse. He should have done his due diligence. So what's next? Not only should Sen. Sotto fire who ever in his staff did the plagiarising but he should also man/own up to this and do the right thing and resign if he has any decency left. This is no different from what happened to MVP and he had the decency to do the right thing. MVP is more of a man than Sen. Sotto will ever be. Sotto will not have the balls to resign! (excuse the pun)


Sotto's staff admits plagiarizing blogger
Rappler.com
http://www.rappler.com/nation/10668-...its-plagiarism

MANILA, Philippines - The chief of staff of Sen Vicente "Tito" Sotto III finally admitted that parts of his speech against the RH bill on Wednesday, August 15, were copied from a blog by a foreign author who calls herself the “Healthy Home Economist.”

Lawyer Hector A. Villacorta, Sotto's chief of staff, wrote Sarah Pope a response in the comments section of her blog in which he said: "I understand you felt slighted that your blog was not attributed to you which became part of the speech of the senator."

"Let me say that after asking my staff, indeed your blog was used but only in quoting also from the same book of Dr. Campbell-Mcbride."

Villacorta admitted the plagiarism hours after Sotto denied it. Pope then went online to say that the senator indeed copied parts of her blog.

In a text message to Rappler, Villacorta admitted that the message on Pope's website and Facebook page indeed came from him.

"[It was a message] saying that my staff sourced it there. Semi-apology if she wanted to be credited. Our research for the past 5 months used the Internet also. It was a technical medical paragraph difficult to paraphrase."

Villacorta admitted that the speech used information from Pope's blog. "It was a quotation from a book and we said so."

Willing to give credit

In the message posted on the blogger's website and Facebook page, Sotto's chief of staff offered to give credit to the blogger but also mentioned that both she and the senator "are both indebted to the book's author."

Villacorta then stated: "If you wish that you also be credited with the contents of this book, let this be your affirmation. I can do it and by this message, I am doing it. Hope this satisfies you."

Sotto's chief of staff noted that the senator did not lift the words himself, as that was their doing, and asked to not be crucified for this "oversight."

Take their side over the RH bill

Villacorta also requested the blogger to take their side in the discussions on the RH bill and not "deflect the debate toward this issue of plagiarism. It is so out of sync in this great debate."

"All the unborn wants very much the right to be born and need everybody's help, including yours."

The senator is a staunch opponent of the bill which mandates government to actively promote family planning, among others. The bill has reached the period of amendments in the Senate, but critics led by the Catholic Church have vowed to stop it from becoming into law.

As majority floor leader, Sotto is a key power player in the upper chamber. A counterpart bill in the House is also being debated. President Benigno Aquino III has expressed support for the bill but has so far not wielded his tremendous powers to swiftly pass it.

The senator's chief of staff asked Pope to forgive "our single trespass," and to join them "on the side of life and truth."

"We had no malice, we thought you would be happy about it. There was no injury. Hope this makes you feel better."

Blog used without permission

After a few minutes, Sarah Pope replied to Villacorta in her blog's comments section.

"I don't like the fact that my blog was used without my permission against the education of the women of the Philippines and their reproductive rights. That is the issue and it was indeed plagiarism."

The blogger also refused to allow Sotto's staff to take all the blame.

"If his staff did it, he [Sotto] condoned it. He is responsible for your actions. My blog was quoted, not Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. I put her work in my own words and you copied my words."

On Thursday morning, in an interview on Headstart on ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel, Sotto said he did not plagiarize in his “turno en contra” speech against the Reproductive Health (RH) bill.

“Itong blogger na sinasabi nila, eh pareho kami ng pinagkunan eh. Ang pinagkunan namin si Natasha Campbell-McBride. And in my speeches, even in my first speech and my second speech, I’ve always said, every now and then sinisingit ko, hindi po ako nagdudunong-dunungan ha. Hindi po galing sa akin ito.” (This blogger they’re mentioning, we got it from the same source. Our source is Natasha Campbell-McBride. And I’ve always said, I’m not pretending to be wise. This does not come from me.)

“Bakit ko naman iko-quote ang blogger? Blogger lang iyon. Ang kino-quote ko si Natasha Campbell-McBride.” (Why should I quote a blogger? She’s just a blogger. I’m quoting Natasha Campbell-McBride.)

He was referring to the doctor he cited as part of what he called expert opinion and scientific studies showing the damaging effect of contraceptives to children born to mothers who used contraception. (Read parts of Sotto's speech here and compare with Pope's blog.)

PH women must have a choice

Pope also made clear that "a woman needs to know that the pill can indeed harm her, but this is NO REASON to take away this choice from her in the first place."

"I do not agree with Senator Sotto's position on this issue and he twisted the message of my blog to suit his own purposes against the women of the Philippines."

And she concluded: "No, your lame comment does not make me feel any better."

In a later comment, the blogger apologized to the women of the Philippines for the misuse of the contents of her blog.

"I am sorry my blog was used and twisted against you. You deserve the choice to use the pill if you want or need to based on your particular circumstances."

Pope stressed: "While I want you to know that this choice has health consequences, I in no way would ever condone taking this choice away from you!"

[3cr]

Did the Sen. Sotto speech copy from 5 bloggers?
Exclusive by Raïssa Robles
http://raissarobles.com/2012/08/16/d...om-4-bloggers/

This morning, when Senator Sotto was asked by ABS-CBNNews anchor Karen Davila whether he had copied from the blog thehealthyeconomist.com in his August 13 speech, he had replied:

Pareho kaming pinagkunan. I’m quoting Natasha Campbell McBride. Why should I quote a blogger?

He’s right you know.

He did not quote from a blogger because he quoted from FIVE bloggers.

Two commenters named Vincent D. Bautista and Miguel Syjuco have found other instances of copying made by Senator Vicente Sotto in his speech yesterday August 15. My thanks to their quick eyes.

Vincent noted that Senator Sotto copied a passage from the blog - thetruthofcontraceptives

Miguel also found what Vincent did. Plus, he found two other blogs from which Senator Sotto had copied portions word for word. These are talkingsense by Marlon C. Ramirez and feministsfor choice.

A commenter named Diego has found another blog from which Sen. Sotto copied the following passage:

While Sanger claimed she merely wanted to pay her respects and give a personal tribute to Gandhi, she coveted nothing less than his endorsement of the widespread use of artificial birth control methods. Gandhi firmly stood by his belief that the spiritual bonds of marriage are strengthened by sexual abstinence. He thus completely rejected Sanger’s plea for contraception as a tool to control population growth, fearing it would lead to an increase in non-procreative sex, which he viewed as immoral lust.

Diego correctly pointed out that the passage came from the blog of New York University. The words in red are those that Sen. Sotto’s speech lifted:

While Sanger claimed she mainly wanted to pay her respects and give a personal tribute to Gandhi, she coveted nothing less than his endorsement of birth control. Gandhi promoted the spiritual bonds of marriage, which, he argued, were strengthened by continence. He reluctantly agreed to consider sanctioning the safe period or rhythm method, but rejected Sanger’s plea for contraception to control population growth, fearing it would lead to an increase in non-procreative sex, which he viewed as immoral lust.

UPDATE as of 4:30 PM, August 16, 2012

The blogger of the healthyhomeeconomist found out pretty quickly that a Philippine senator lifted from her website. Here’s what she post 13 hours ago. Thanks @peanut and @pimplepopper on Twitter for giving me the heads up on this:

Sen. Sotto is probably going to say, why quibble over a few words – 345 words to be exact. [Those are what alana Vincent and Miguel have found so far. There may be more.] The 345 words are a mere 7% of his 4,760-word speech.

That’s not much.

But we’re not speaking of volume here, but of thought. And intellectual honesty.

Could I be wrong?

Well, don’t take my word for it. Look at the similarities yourself.

Below, I have listed FIVE INSTANCES of his copying word for word, as noted by Miguel and Vincent.

Some supporters of the senator would probably say they find nothing wrong in such copying. It’s done all the time. Words aren’t covered by copyright.

If you notice, though, what Senator Sotto did is the same thing that CNN’s Fareed Zakaria was recently accused of. Zakaria had the decency to apologize and he was suspended by CNN and Time magazine.

Perhaps Senator Sotto did not mean to copy and paste. Perhaps an aide did this for him. Or perhaps someone else fed it to him and he trusted the source completely. Or perhaps one of the bloggers was even his friend.

However, all those copied words became Senator Sotto’s very own when they were officially entered into Senate records.

Below are the instances of copying.

ONE – From Sen. Sotto’s speech:

Sanger was so intent on reducing family size that she seemed to not stop even at abortion. Many believe that under the right circumstances, Sanger would have condoned infanticide. Indeed she wrote in her book Woman and the New Race: “The most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.” This comes from the woman who formed the philosophical base for IPPF.

Copied from Talking Sense by Marlon C. Ramirez:

Breaking Up the Family

Since Margaret Sanger began spreading her ideas about recreational sex and contraception (with babies optional) divorce rates have climbed steadily. When she began her work in 1915, it was standard for married couples to work through their times of difficulty, rather than leave each other. But as her message of hedonism and promiscuity penetrated deeper into society, more and more marriages broke up. Sanger was so intent on reducing family size that she seemed to not stop even at abortion. Many believe that, under the right circumstances, Sanger would have condoned infanticide. Indeed, she wrote in her book Woman And the New Race: “The most merciful thing that the large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.” This comes from the woman who formed the philosophical base for Planned Parenthood.


TWO – From Senator Sotto’s speech:

You can also see that her interest in birth control was not just due to some humane concern for health of women (which birth control doesn’t help anyway), but was driven in part by her desire to encourage women to engage in sex without having children.

But there was even a darker side to Margaret Sanger: a side that IPPF people try to cover up or explain away. That was her belief in “eugenics.” Eugenics is defined as “the application of the laws of hereditary to physical and mental improvement, especially of the human race.”

To Sanger this meant the systematic elimination (through birth control, including abortion) of all those people she and her cohorts considered to be of “dysgenic stock” in order to create a race of superior intellectuals. Ito na rin po yung tinatawag na eugenics–if you are weak, useless, uneducated and poor, you have no right in this world. Sa medaling salita, ang gusto mangyari ng konsepto na eugenics ay ang magkaroon ng birth control para ang matitira na lamang sa mundo ay ang lahing na superior at intelektwal.

Copied from Talking Sense by Marlon C. Ramirez:

But there was another side of Margaret Sanger; a side that Planned Parenthood people try to cover up or explain away. That was her belief in eugenics. Eugenics is defined as “the application of the laws of heredity to physical and mental improvement, especially of the human race.” To Sanger this meant the systematic elimination (through birth control, including abortion) of all those people she and her cohorts considered to be of “dysgenic stock” in order to create a race of superior intellectuals.


THREE – From Senator Sotto’s speech:

Sanger also attempted to unduly influence Mahatma Gandhi to adhere to her distorted principles. Fortunately, Sanger’s attempts to do so proved futile. The two activists met in December of 1936 when Sanger traveled to India to speak with Gandhi about birth control, population and the plight of women in India. At that time, Sanger staunchly advocated the global use of artificial contraceptives and, in order to make the acceptance of such contraceptives easier to the Indian populace, sought to make Gandhi an ally. While Sanger claimed she merely wanted to pay her respects and give a personal tribute to Gandhi, she coveted nothing less than his endorsement of the widespread use of artificial birth control methods. Gandhi firmly stood by his belief that the spiritual bonds of marriage are strengthened by sexual abstinence. He thus completely rejected Sanger’s plea for contraception as a tool to control population growth, fearing it would lead to an increase in non-procreative sex, which he viewed as immoral lust.

Copied from feministsforchoice.com:

I recently read an article about the correspondence and meeting between two of the most independent thinkers of the 20th Century, Margaret Sanger and Mahatma Gandhi. The two activists met in 1936 when Sanger traveled to India to speak with Gandhi about birth control. By that time Sanger was advocating internationally for artificial contraceptives and sought to make Gandhi an ally.


FOUR – From Senator Sotto’s speech:

Despite the fact that the movement was gaining popularity in a society with a serious poverty crisis, Gandhi was an outspoken critic of artificial birth control. His general attitude was that

“Persons who use contraceptives will never learn the value of self-restraint. They will not need it. Self-indulgence with contraceptives may prevent the coming of children but will sap the vitality of both men and women, perhaps more of men than of women. It is unmanly to refuse battle with the devil.”

Copied from feministsforchoice.com:

Despite the fact that the movement was gaining popularity in a society with a serious poverty crisis, Gandhi was an outspoken critic of artificial birth control. His general attitude was that

“Persons who use contraceptives will never learn the value of self-restraint. They will not need it. Self-indulgence with contraceptives may prevent the coming of children but will sap the vitality of both men and women, perhaps more of men than of women. It is unmanly to refuse battle with the devil.”


FIVE – From Senator Sotto’s speech:

In fact, in a study undertaken by Raymond Pearl, a John Hopkins professor and noted authority on this matter, wrote: “Those who practice contraception as part of their sex life, by their own admission, resort to criminally induced abortions about three times as often proportionately as do their comparable non-contraceptor contemporaries.”

Also in a report prepared for the Royal Commission on Population in Great Britain found that the incidence of induced abortion as a percentage of all pregnancies was nine times higher for women using contraceptives than for women not using birth control.

Copied from thetruthofcontraceptives.blogspot.ca

-In 1939, Raymond Pearl, a Johns Hopkins professor and noted authority, wrote: “Those who practice contraception as part of their sex life, by their own admission, resort to criminally induced abortions about three times as often proportionately as do their comparable non-contraceptor contemporaries.”

-In Great Britain, in 1949, a report prepared for the Royal Commission on Population found that the incidence of induced abortion as a percentage of all pregnancies was nine times higher for women using contraceptives than for women not using birth control.


Update: Sotto copied from 5 bloggers plus a briefing paper
http://raissarobles.com/2012/08/17/u...riefing-paper/

Sotto’s speech delivered August 16 Wednesday contained the following passage. Again, I have highlighted in red what was copied:

2.United Nations agencies are using UN resources to advocate their agenda on a local level in order to bypass cultural and religious resistance. Gamal Serour, president of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), reported that UNFPA has a program in 25 countries to lobby religious leaders into dropping objections to the agenda. These programs are aimed at “re-educating” religious leaders and convincing them to accept their population control programs.

He lifted this verbatim from a briefing paper entitled ” Six More Problems with Women Deliver: Why Attempts to Redefine Maternal Health as Reproductive Health Threaten the World’s Women”:

Problem #4: UN staff and NGOs target religious leaders and youth to undermine traditional culture and values.

UN agencies are using UN resources to advocate their agenda on a local level in order to bypass cultural and religious resistance. Gamal Serour, president of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), reported that UNFPA has a program in 25 countries to lobby religious leaders into dropping objections to the agenda. These programs are aimed at “re-educating” religious leaders and convincing them that family planning does not go against their religious values, especially when taken from a medical point of view.

So far, one blogger named Sarah has reacted to Senator Sotto’s copying from her blog, thehealthyhomeeconomist.com in a post entitled On Plagiarism, the Pill and Presumptuousness. This time, Sarah has taken the trouble to protect her post. You can no longer simply copy and paste it. You have to screencap it like this:

Senator’s chief-of-staff Hector Villacorta took the trouble to contact Sarah. Jojo Malig of ABS-CBNNews quoted Villacorta as telling Sarah -

“We are both indebted to the book’s author but if you wish that you also be credited with the contents of the book, let this be your affirmation. I can do it and by this message, I am doing it. Hope it satisfies you. But if it does not, what would you want us to do?”

All I can say is – WOW. Villacorta’s grudging tone says it all. It’s as if he’s saying it’s Sarah who should be grateful for the honor of having been quoted by a senator because she is a mere blogger.

Some commenters have asked me why I’m making such a big deal over this.

Perhaps because as a writer I have tried to take the trouble to attribute sources and craft my words. When someone merely copies and pastes other people’s thoughts and passes them off as his, he is taking all the credit for doing all that hard work.

[3cr]

Award winning novelist says Sotto plagiarized second RH speech too
Interaksyon
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/4...-rh-speech-too

Plagiarism allegations continue to haunt Senator Vicente Sotto III. Days after it was reported that the first of his four-part speech was copied from an American female blogger, a similar allegation has surfaced, this time surrounding his second speech.

The charge comes from Miguel Syjuco, an award-winning Filipino novelist based in Canada.

Syjuco won the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, he said that Sotto’s second speech "lifted, verbatim, from three sources easily found online."

The three passages questioned, one of which is from a Filipino blog entry, are found below, as cited by Syjuco.

Sotto’s speech:

Sanger was so intent on reducing family size that she seemed to not stop even at abortion. Many believe that under the right circumstances, Sanger would have condoned infanticide. Indeed she wrote in her book Woman and the New Race: “The most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.”

This comes from the woman who formed the philosophical base for IPPF. But there was even a darker side to Margaret Sanger: a side that IPPF people try to cover up or explain away. That was her belief in “eugenics.” Eugenics is defined as “the application of the laws of hereditary to physical and mental improvement, especially of the human race.”

To Sanger this meant the systematic elimination (through birth control, including abortion) of all those people she and her cohorts considered to be of “dysgenic stock” in order to create a race of superior intellectuals.

From Re-Imaging life and family: The Global Scandal by Marlon C. Ramirez from his blog, talkingsense.multiply.com:

"Sanger was so intent on reducing family size that she seemed to not stop even at abortion. Many belie ve that under the right circumstances, Sanger would have condoned infanticide. Indeed she wrote in her book Woman and the New Race: “The most merciful thing that a large family does to one of its infant members is to kill it.” This comes from the woman who formed the philosophical base for IPPF. But there was even a darker side to Margaret Sanger: a side that IPPF people try to cover up or explain away. That was her belief in “eugenics.” Eugenics is defined as “the application of the laws of hereditary to physical and mental improvement, especially of the human race.” To Sanger this meant the systematic elimination (through birth control, including abortion) of all those people she and her cohorts considered to be of “dysgenic stock” in order to create a race of superior intellectuals."

Sotto’s speech:

The two activists met in December of 1936 when Sanger traveled to India to speak with Gandhi about birth control, population and the plight of women in India. At that time, Sanger staunchly advocated the global use of artificial contraceptives and, in order to make the acceptance of such contraceptives easier to the Indian populace, sought to make Gandhi an ally. While Sanger claimed she merely wanted to pay her respects and give a personal tribute to Gandhi, she coveted nothing less than his endorsement of the widespread use of artificial birth control methods. Despite the fact that the movement was gaining popularity in a society with a serious poverty crisis, Gandhi was an outspoken critic of artificial birth control. His general attitude was that “Persons who use contraceptives will never learn the value of self-restraint. They will not need it. Self-indulgence with contraceptives may prevent the coming of children but will sap the vitality of both men and women, perhaps more of men than of women. It is unmanly to refuse battle with the devil.”

From Ghandi’s Birth Control of Choice, posted on the blog, feministsforchoice.com:

"The two activists met in December of 1936 when Sanger traveled to India to speak with Gandhi about birth control, population and the plight of women in India. At that time, Sanger staunchly advocated the global use of artificial contraceptives and, in order to make the acceptance of such contraceptives easier to the Indian populace, sought to make Gandhi an ally. Despite the fact that the movement was gaining popularity in a society with a serious poverty crisis, Gandhi was an outspoken critic of artificial birth control. His general attitude was that “Persons who use contraceptives will never learn the value of self-restraint. They will not need it. Self-indulgence with contraceptives may prevent the coming of children but will sap the vitality of both men and women, perhaps more of men than of women. It is unmanly to refuse battle with the devil.”

Sotto’s speech:

In fact, in a study undertaken by Raymond Pearl, a John Hopkins professor and noted authority on this matter, wrote: “Those who practice contraception as part of their sex life, by their own admission, resort to criminally induced abortions about three times as often proportionately as do their comparable non-contraceptor contemporaries.” Also in a report prepared for the Royal Commission on Population in Great Britain found that the incidence of induced abortion as a percentage of all pregnancies was nine times higher for women using contraceptives than for women not using birth control.

From a blog post at Truth of Contraceptives:

A study undertaken by Raymond Pearl, a John Hopkins professor and noted authority on this matter, wrote: “Those who practice contraception as part of their sex life, by their own admission, resort to criminally induced abortions about three times as often proportionately as do their comparable non-contraceptor contemporaries.” Also in a report prepared for the Royal Commission on Population in Great Britain found that the incidence of induced abortion as a percentage of all pregnancies was nine times higher for women using contraceptives than for women not using birth control.

[wino]

haha kamoteng senator!

[3cr]

Sotto not covered by copyright rules, lawyer claims
ABS CBN News
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/-depth/08...-top-aide-says

MANILA, Philippines - The chief of staff of Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto on Friday said they committed no crime in lifting portions of his anti-reproductive health (RH) bill speech at the Senate from the web.

Atty. Hector Villacorta also feels that blogger Sarah Pope of thehealthyeconomist.com is just reacting after her sensitivities were offended.

Villacorta claimed that the Internet is public domain, that governments are exempted from copyright rules, while Sotto himself enjoys parliamentary immunity as a legislator.

Villacorta told ABS-CBN News Sotto used research for his speech since he is not a doctor.

"Nagtatampo pala sila pag naqu-quote sila. Blog site is public domain, you should be open to be quoted from all over the world. What law did we violate only her sensitivity was. Because there is no crime, we used information from public domain they're making issue of the way it was quoted."

"The rule of copyright gives government a chance to use some of materials. There's principle in law if there's a crime there should be a law punishing it. Was she commercially injured? Wala naman eh. No crime, no law violated."

Villacorta was also asked to comment on claims by journalist and blogger Raissa Robles that Sotto may have also copied from 5 bloggers and one United Nations briefer.

'Anyone can use blogs'

"Blogs are public domain. Anybody can use it. Government is exempted from the copyright rule. As a general principle, you cannot withhold information from government," he said.

Villacorta said Sotto's speech and Pope's work quoted a book by Dr. Natasha McBride on the side effects of birth control pills.

He said Pope can sue Sotto in the US if the Philippines has a treaty with the US on intellectual property.

Asked how Sotto is taking the controversy over the alleged plagiarism, Villacorta said, "he is smiling and napapailing because content of speech being sidetracked."

"Bloggers, beware what you put out on the web. You should not cry if used by the web," he claimed.


Sotto acting above the law, US blogger says
ABS CBN News
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/08...s-blogger-says

Why is Senator Tito Sotto acting like he is above the law by plagiarizing someone else's work with impunity, an American blogger said Friday night?

Sarah Pope, in a telephone interview from Florida with Tina Monzon-Palma on ANC's "The World Tonight," reminded Sotto about copyright law amid allegations that the senator's staff copied one of her blog posts verbatim and without permission for Sotto's speech against the reproductive health bill.

"He is acting as though he's above the law, that he is above copyright law, that he can do whatever he wants, he can step on whoever he wants, to get his agenda through the Philippine legislature," Pope said.

"That's just wrong, that's poor very behavior. I hope the Filipino people great note of this behavior and subsequent denial on his bad behavior on the part of Senator Sotto. Think about this when they go to the election booths when he's up for reelection," she added.

Intellectual property rights are protected by Republic Act No. 8293 in the Philippines. In the United States, plagiarism is a criminal offense on both the state and federal levels.

The Web is not 'public domain'

US tech and legal experts have clarified that the Web is not "public domain."

While the works of Shakespeare and Beethoven are now public domain, a lot of content found online is under copyright protection.

"The public domain is not a place. A work of authorship is in the 'public domain' if it is no longer under copyright protection or if it failed to meet the requirements for copyright protection. Works in the public domain may be used freely without the permission of the former copyright owner," according to the US Copyright Office.

RA 8293 in the Philippines also requires either full attribution of the original source or creator of protected content, or the author's prior witten consent to reuse published works that "are made available to the public by wire or wireless means."

Pope, who writes mainly about food recipes, said her blog is copyrighted.

"If you go to my blog, there's a copyright notice there. That's very clear. While a blog is meant to be shared, it's meant to be shared with proper credit given to those that do the work to get that great information out there," she said.

Sotto's chief of staff, Atty. Hector Villacorta, told ABS-CBN News Friday that the senator can't be sued because the Internet is "public domain," governments are allegedly exempted from copyright rules, and the senator enjoys parliamentary immunity as a legislator.

He also claimed Pope is just reacting after her sensitivities were offended.

Sotto also earlier denied copying the blogger's work, only for his chief of staff to later admit to the act.

'Running with tail behind legs'

The Sotto camp's statements have triggered a fierce backlash from the American blogger.

"Sotto's behavior following the incident has been even worse. By denying and trying to hide behind his government immunity, which should be an embarassment to himself," Pope said.

"When you try to hide behind your government immunity, that shows you've been backed into a corner and you have no more cards to play. You know you are wrong and you're just trying to run away with your tail between your legs," she added.

"What Senator Sotto should have done is say 'Ugh, we made a mistake. Yes proper credit should have been given for this information that was taken illegally from my blog and plagiarized from my blog, we made a mistake we are sorry and can we move on,'" Pope said.

"You know what, if he had just said he was sorry and said he was wrong and that it was a mistake and that he should have given proper credit to my blog then we wouldn't even be talking right now," she said.

Pope said plagiarism is a problem in the blogging community.

"It's something I talk to friends who blog about all the time. Our material is being taken without our consent. It is a tremendous problem," she said.

Journalist and blogger Raissa Robles said Sotto copied from not just Pope but 4 other bloggers, as well as a briefing paper.

Filipino novelist Miguel Syjuco, winner the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize, also said Sotto “lifted, verbatim, from three sources easily found online" for his second speech against the RH bill.

Pope said US bloggers can report plagiarism incidents to proper authorities. However, Sotto's act is a different matter.

"Typically those websites that took your information illegally, that information is removed. But in the case of a senator who is a public figure he is an elective representative of the people, he's elected to protect the people and represent the best interest of the people. And yet he is acting as thought he's above the law," she said.

[3cr]

'Sotto would be championing piracy'
ABS-CBNnews.com
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/08...pioning-piracy

Senator Tito Sotto would be promoting piracy if he follows the advice of his chief of staff that Internet content is free to be used and claimed as his own without laws being violated, journalist and blogger Raissa Robles said Friday.

Robles, a South China Morning Post correspondent who also has a blog on ABS-CBNNews.com, told ANC that Atty. Hector Villacorta's claim that Sotto can use any online content without fear of copyright infringement has serious implications.

"Atty. Villacorta said that the Internet is free. This would mean that Senator Sotto would be championing digital piracy," Robles said.

"He will never allow such piracy to be punished because you see there are pending bills right now punishing digital piracy online so that's what it means," she added.

"Sotto is a champion of the entertainment industry. What Atty. Villacorta said has very vast implications. He said everything in the Internet is free. That means music and movies can be downloaded or ought to be downloaded for free all time," she said.

Villacorta, in a text message to ABS-CBNNews.com, claimed that they are not violating copyright laws, despite the standards set by Republic Act No. 8293, or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines. "Blogs are public domain, information to the world, for the world. No copyright infringement," he said.

Robles said Sotto should follow the footsteps of journalist Fareed Zakaria, who was suspended by Time and CNN after admitting he plagiarized a paragraph from the New Yorker for his Time column.

Zakaria has apologized for committing plagiarism.

"Take the action that Fareed Zakaria did. Apologize for the whole thing and put it behind him," Robles said.

"There are very serious implications about this. He is not just a senator. He is a Senate majority floor leader and his speech was a major speech," she added.

Robles said whoever who wrote his speech for him was getting information from the Internet word-for-word.

"That, by classic definition, is plagiarism," she warned.

"I don't know what is going on in their office. But the point is, that is his speech," she said. "Senators, they have a lot of money for staff."

She expressed disappointment that Sotto's speech is supposed to champion the side of groups opposing the reproductive health bill.

"This is sidelined now by the accusation of plagiarism, which is also a very serious thing," Robles said.

[wino]

digging his own hole deeper..

[3cr]

Who Is Tito Sotto?
http://dalubhasangpinoy.wordpress.co...is-tito-sotto/

Is plagiarism tolerated in the Senate as long as you are crying while doing it?

How low can Sotto go? To think he is a member of the upper House of Congress, a distinguished and “honorable” Senator, to base his stand on dubious medical information, even copying the comments from a food blogger (without proper reference). You know you have well and truly run out of ammo if you’re reduced to citing talking points from an anti-vaxxer’s blog. Absolutely disturbing that he would pass this off as legal and legitimate information on a senate floor. So dishonorable! So low!

You thanked Google prematurely Sotto. Shame on you! If you were my classmate you will get a 5.0 in Technical English for plagiarism and a 5.0 in Logic for your fallacious arguments. And probably the leading man of the newest play of our Theater Club.

Do we really expect this senator comedian to seriously provide us with “wisdom” that he never had in the first place? Now how do we tell shame on you to someone who is outright shameless? What Sotto did was a high crime and misdemeanor, and a betrayal of public trust, which is most definitely worth his resignation or removal!

Plagiarism is a violation of the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines, part of the civil code. It is not a crime but it is still a violation of our law. But it is severely punished on moral grounds. MVP had to resign from the Ateneo for his plagiarized graduation speech. The Sotto speech has more prominence and international audience than a mere graduation speech. I say,”Impeach him!”

Sotto plagiarized the speech from Sarah Pope’s blog on The Healthy Home Economist http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, LOL, yet Sotto thinks her blog is authoritative enough to be read on the Senate floor, disguised as his own research. She also has a lot to say about green smoothies, child vaccinations and that “Chemotherapy is another conventional treatment for cancer that seems to hasten people’s death.” Though Sarah may seem to be highly intellectual enough, she also states in her blog that it is not a reliable medical source. Sotto may as well have read the medical opinions of a monkey at the zoo.

The claims by the blogger were not even proven in the medical field. The Senator should have sent his staff (since obviously, it would’ve been his staff who found the blog) to research more on the veracity of the claims before he used them in his speech. It should have been presented by a medical expert who has done the extensive research about it and not a Senator who does not even have an academic degree regarding medical fields. The problem is he used outdated data from an unreliable source and never bothered to give credit.

The point is, he took his “MEDICAL INFORMATION” from a blogger who also doesn’t have any medical credentials. Therefore, what he said so melodramatically holds no water. Another point is, the Senator is stupid for actually plagiarizing the work of someone else. If your puritanical self can’t see the “wrongness” in that, then I guess I know why our country is still in the dumps.

I am familiar with Mr. Sotto’s source of research, Dr. Natasha Campbell-Mcbride MD, a pioneer in the medical field for gut disorders in relation to chronic diseases. She’s also an advocate of natural and traditional methods of food processing and farming. I haven’t gone in-depth on the research on oral contraception, but I have my own reservations about it, and I think there are valid concerns on its safety.

However, Mr. Sotto’s story actually strengthens the case for the RH Bill, demonstrating the need for proper education on the risks and benefits of various family planning options (oral contraception has side effects, just like any other medicine). RH Bill is not about promoting oral contraception which is just one option in family planning. Rather, it’s about providing education and access to all the family planning options, in order to give people the chance to make their own truly independent informed decisions.

In short: His arguments against oral contraception have nothing to do with the issue of providing family planning education and healthcare to everyone, especially marginalized women who need it most.

Is DECEIT and STEALING of intellectual property noble if done under God’s name in the process? I think even God is ashamed of him right now. If he is such a good soldier of God, why would he try to correct a “sin” by a deliberate and shameful violation of a commandment?

As a Christian, would you want to be represented by a proven liar and cheater? Just one of the many out there pretending to fight for faith and morality when all they’re after is “holy” publicity.

It totally destroys the Senator’s credibility, authenticity, and intentions.

He’s so pompous, trying to sound smart with all these medical terms. It would have been appropriate if he’s appealing to a group of people in the medical field. He’s not trying to argue, he just tried to sound like he was arguing. His appeal is for pity, thus the waterworks. Sotto is a pathetic opposition of the RH Bill. A crying chimpanzee at the Senate hall.

So Mr, Sotto you are busted! You are not only a comedian who is ignorant and paranoid, you are also a plagiarist!

The quality of our lawmakers in this country is truly sad. Sotto came from showbiz and as such has provided proof of half a brain. We would never allow modern Damasos to dictate our decision on how to make the Philippine progressive and respectable.

Indeed, most of our leaders are cheaters. How can these leaders steer our country out of poverty if they cannot even come up with a simple yet authenticated speech. It shows our leaders does not have the capability to think, imagine RH bill napakalawak na topic for debate, pero itong Senator natin magaling lang pala sa GOOGLE SEARCH AND COPY & PASTE.

This shows the power of Internet “COPY PASTE” and not an expected wisdom from a Senator. It means to say, any argument he will put on the table would lack integrity and therefore he should rest his case. Many would not believe him as he has difficulty following basic rules and at the same time understanding simple information. What can you expect from a comedian? Goodness. The future of reproductive health in the country is in this clown’s hands?

The last nail hammered into the Coffin that is Politics in the Philippines. What a joke. This is embarrassing. The world around us is unitedly face-palming at this very moment.

He should now do the honorable thing and resign. But I doubt he has the personal integrity to do that. Either way, his credibility has been destroyed.

For part three of his Pro-Lies tirade maybe he can give us cookie recipes from Sarah as well, or maybe he should just ask the joke writers at Eat Bulaga to compile his next speech so that we could at least have a more fun-filled laugh.