Netizens hit Sen. Tito Sotto for “Bayang Magiliw” blunder

• Netizens slammed Sen. Tito Sotto for calling PH National Anthem “Bayang Magiliw”.
• Senate President Tito Sotto defended himself from “plagiarist” criticisms.

Newly-“elected” Senate President Vicente Tito Sotto III has again drawn social media attention.

In his latest remarks after being “elected” President of the Senate, Sotto defended himself from critics, especially in the plagiarism issue.

Sotto has been highly criticized for plagiarizing Sarah Pope’s blog for his anti-RH Bill privilege speech. (READ: Sotto’s anti-RH speech copied from US blogger? Sotto doesn’t think so)

In another privilege speech Sotto was again called for that time copying and translating in verbatim Tagalog the US Senator Robert F. Kennedy’s speech. (READ: Sotto’s new RH speech copied from Kennedy?)

Plagiarism has always hounded Sotto after that 2012 incident.

And on his latest interview with Rappler, Sotto defended himself from critics with regards to that issue.

“They said that I plagiarized [an inspirational quote from Senator Robert F. Kennedy]? Of course not. It was an inspirational message coming from a pastor that was used by the Americans, and if we use it and translate it into Tagalog, there’s nothing wrong with that,” Sotto said.

And in his defense, Sotto again created new blunder when he called the Philippine national anthem as “Bayang Magiliw”.

“It’s not plagiarism, because if you think that’s plagiarism, then you must think that ‘Bayang Magiliw’ is plagiarized because it was originally in Spanish, and somebody changed it into English, and somebody translated it into Tagalog unofficially. So is that plagiarism?” Sotto explained.

That statement again drew the ire of netizens, calling him a disgust to the Senate Presidency.

Here are what netizens say about Senate President Tito Sotto’s “Bayang Magiliw” gaffe.

“I have 3 points for you Tito Sotto: 1) Shakespeare was not a senate president, and you are no Shakespeare. Mandiri ka! 2) Translation is different from plagiarism! Gago ka ba? 3) Lupang hinirang, not Bayang Magiliw! Puñeta ka!” – @alt_BBM

“Yep, I might not that good in my studies but at least, I know the title of our Philippine National Anthem which is Lupang Hinirang, NOT BAYANG MAGILIW. Something that Tito Sotto, a senate president has yet to achieve. Pumutok talaga brain cells ko, mga 1,369,517 sila” – @mitochondriooon

“jesus christ even the senate president thinks our national anthem is called bayang magiliw whats good pilipinas” – @kwentongupd

“As i said in my piece ‘Honor thy flag,fight for democracy,’ the title of our marcha nacional is Lupang Hinirang NOT Bayang Magiliw. I was wrong to say that most young people don’t know the correct title because even SENATE PRESIDENT Sotto doesn’t. Ganyan sa Wanbol University.” – @bethangsioco

“Bayang Magiliw naman talaga ang title ng Philippine national anthem natin… yun ang turo sa Wanbol University. Huwag nyong inaano si Senate President Sotto. ” – @krizzy_kalerqui 

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