Pia Cayetano faces plagiarism case

MANILA, Philippines – Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III is no longer alone.

Like Sotto, Sen Pia Cayetano – incidentally one of his critics – is formally accused of plagiarism after an ethics complaint was filed against her on Wednesday, November 21. 

In a text message to Rappler, Cayetano’s office confirmed that it was filed by a certain Alberto Loquez Ong Jr. The senator will issue a statement later, her office said.

Last week, an ethics complaint was filed against Sotto for alleged plagiarism in the course of debates on the Reproductive Health (RH) bill. 

Cayetano has aggressively pushed for the RH bill, while Sotto has opposed it. Plagiarism is one of the issues raised alongside debates on the bill.

‘Unceremoniously lifted’

Cayetano allegedly committed plagiarism, too, said the blog Pinoy Templars, which called attention to it in August. This was around the same time Sotto was accused of plagiarizing a blogger’s work. 

One of the allegedly plagiarized quotes came from Health Undersecretary Mario Villaverde in 2008, while the other was “unceremoniously lifted” from the website of the United Nations Environment Programme, according to the Pinoy Templars. 

In a reaction posted on her website in August, Cayetano said she respects the Intellectual Property Law. “Even in my personal work, I habitually attribute my sources,” Cayetano said. 

“If at any time, I fail to attribute, I immediately make the necessary corrections and amends… Citing authors and sources is part of the writing process. I am happy to do (so) because it shows the depth of research done,” she explained. – Rappler.com