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THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !1
Legal Technique and Logic: Term Paper on the Fallacies of
Informal
Logic
Submitted to: Atty. Joaquin Obieta
Submitted by: Dizon, Hazel Y.
Mercado, Anton Marco N. Mondejar, Mary Kimberly Lucille L.
Raboca, Joyce Anne C. Tuao, Francisco Miguel
Block 1-E Ateneo de Manila University School of Law
March 18, 2015
FALLACIES
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Table of Contents
Fallacies of Relevance Appeal to Emotion (Argumentum Ad
Populum)4
Salamat, Kaibigan: Privilege Speech of Senator Ramon Bong
Revilla, Jr. (June 9, 2014) Senator Miriam Defensor Santiagos
speech on the pork barrel scam before the PH Psychiatric
Association (January 21, 2014)
Appeal to Pity (Argument Ad Misericordiam)5 President Aquinos
SONA (October 30, 2014) The privilege speech of Senator Jose
Jinggoy Estrada (June 11, 2014)
The Appeal to Force (Argument Ad Baculum)...7 Luy tells court:
Napoles brother threatened to kill him
The Argument Against the Person (Argument Ad Hominem)...8
Abusive8 The Untold PDAF Story That People Should Know:
Privilege Speech of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada (September 25, 2013)
Circumstantial.9 The Untold PDAF Story That People Should Know:
Privilege Speech of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada (September 25, 2013)
Irrelevant Conclusion (Ignoratio Elenchi)...10 Navigating the
Crimes of the Plunder Mastermind: Privilege Speech of Senator
Miriam Defensor Santiago (December 4, 2013)
Fallacies of Defective Induction Argument from Ignorance (Ad
Ignorantiam).11
Linking Roxas to PDAF scam malicious Lacierda by Madel Sabater
(September 5, 2013)
The Appeal to Inappropriate Authority (Ad Verecundiam)...12
Erap: Jinggoy careless but innocent in PDAF scam, Interview by
Karen Davila (June 19, 2014)
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !2
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False Cause 12 Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago addressing some
2,000 students of the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) in
Batangas City Post Hoc Ergo Propter Hoc13 Salamat, Kaibigan:
Senator Ramon Bong Revilla Jr.s Privilege Speech (June 9, 2014)
Hasty Generalization.14 Salamat, Kaibigan: Senator Ramon Bong
Revilla Jr.s Privilege Speech (June 9, 2014)
Fallacies of Presumption Fallacy of Accident15
Farce by Conrado de Quiros (March 17, 2014) Complex
Question.16
Miriam Santiago on Napoles, Senate Hearing on Pork Barrel Scam
(November 7, 2013)
Begging the Question.16 Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago
addressing some 2,000 students of the Lyceum of the Philippines
University (LPU) in Batangas City
Fallacies of Ambiguity Fallacy of Equivocation..18
Miriam Santiago Speech Banat Laban Sa Pork Barrel at Kapwa
Pulitiko (August 28, 2013)
Fallacy of Amphiboly.19 Navigating the Crimes of the Plunder
Mastermind: Privilege Speech of Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago
(December 4, 2013)
Fallacy of Accent20 Body Language by Conrado de Quiros (February
16, 2014)
Fallacy of Composition..20 Inconvenient Truths by Conrado de
Quiros (March 20, 2014)
Fallacy of Division..21 Is Miriam the only real senator left? by
Rigoberto Tiglao (November 26, 2014)
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !3
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Fallacies of Relevance Fallacies of Relevance are those
fallacies in which the premises are
irrelevant to the conclusion.
I. Appeal to Emotion (Argumentum Ad Populum) A fallacy in which
the argument relies on emotion rather than reason
A. Example 1
Salamat Kaibigan: Privilege Speech of Senator Ramon Bong
Revilla, Jr. (June 9, 2014)
Lead this country not with hatred but with love. Lead the
country towards unity and not partisanship. Push our nations
interest and not political agenda. Bibihira ang nabibigyan ng
pagkakataon na maging pangulo. At mapalad ka Pangulong Aquino 1
B. Explanation
The premise is directed to the President: [l]ead this country
not with hatred but with love. Lead the country towards unity and
not partisanship. Push our nations interest and not political
agenda. Bibihira ang nabibigyan ng pagkakataon na maging pangulo,
while the conclusion is [a]t mapalad ka Pangulong Aquino.
The speaker tries to support his conclusion that Aquino is lucky
for being the President elect since only few men one every six
years do get the Malacanang seat. However, with the use of
expressive language, the speaker takes the reader away from the
reality of how one wins the Presidency. Far from luck, winning an
election comes down to ones resources, hard work, and popularity
among many others.
Full text of Senator Revillas privilege speech Salamat, Kaibigan
accessed at
http://1www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/364925/news/nation/full-text-of-senator-revilla-s-privilege-speech-salamat-kaibigan.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !4
http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/364925/news/nation/full-text-of-senator-revilla-s-privilege-speech-salamat-kaibigan
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C. Example 2
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiagos speech on the pork barrel scam
before the PH Psychiatric Association (January 21, 2014)
The public has already accepted that if there is pork barrel
given to the Congressmen and Senators, they will surely steal the
10 percent. Thats why, if you are called ten percent-er, its really
embarrassing but the public has accepted it anyways. After all,
everyone [politicians] receives the 10 percent!
D. Explanation
The premise of the argument is [t]he public has already accepted
that if there is pork barrel given to the Congressmen and Senators,
they will surely steal the 10 percent. Thats why, if you are called
ten percent-er, its really embarrassing but the public has accepted
it anyways, while the conclusion is [a]fter all, everyone receives
the 10 percent!
The speaker, in the hopes of supporting her claim that all
politicians receive a ten percent kickback from their pork barrels,
appeal to the multitude by making it seem like it is an accepted
fact just because a lot of people believe in it. This is an example
of appealing to the populace.
II. Appeal to Pity (Argument Ad Misericordiam) A fallacy in
which the argument relies on generosity, altruism or mercy, rather
than reason
A. Example 1
President Aquinos SONA (October 30, 2014) Because these funds
were abused in the past, people are saying that perhaps we will
abuse them todayeven if no one has accused us of stealing or using
them in the wrong manner. Some propose to remove them completely.
Would this be just? If only it were that simplebut what would we
then do in case of natural disasters? Even if we were lucky and
Congress was in session, it would take at least four months of
debate before Congress can approve the funding we need. If you are
in Zamboanga, with a child crying from hunger, and government tells
you that it cannot help you just yet, it would need to haggle with
Congress first
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !5
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how would you feel? We have the money, and we have the
mechanisms that will ensure this money goes where its needed most.
Would it be right to deprive our countrymen of the care they direly
need? 2
B. Explanation
The premise is because these funds were abused in the past,
people are saying that perhaps we will abuse them todayeven if no
one has accused us of stealing or using them in the wrong
mannerEven if we were lucky and Congress was in session, it would
take at least four months of debate before Congress can approve the
funding we need. If you are in Zamboanga, with a child crying from
hunger, and government tells you that it cannot help you just yet,
it would need to haggle with Congress firsthow would you feelWould
it be right to deprive our countrymen of the care they direly need?
while the conclusion is, some propose to remove them completely.
Would this be just? If only it were that simple. We have the money,
and we have the mechanisms that will ensure this money goes where
its needed most.
The speaker attempts to support his conclusion that the pork
barrel system shall subsist by making it seem like if the same
shall be removed, this child from Zamboanga will continue to suffer
from hunger. Such argument commits the fallacy of inappropriate
appeal to pity by painting a sad picture when in reality, the
grants given under the pork barrel do not directly put food in the
mouths of the hungry, much less alleviate poverty.
C. Example 2 The privilege speech of Senator Jose Jinggoy
Estrada (June 11, 2014)
Milyung-milyong Pilipino ang nagbigay sa akin ng tiwala kaya ako
ay nasa Senado. Hindi ako pinili at niluklok lamang ng iilan. Ang
malaking bilang ng aking mga kababayan ang patuloy kong magiging
inspirasyon sa pakikipaglaban hanggang sa dumating ang panahon na
malinis kong muli ang aking pangalan
Aquino: 'I am the one now being called the 'Pork Barrel King'?
accessed at
http://2www.rappler.com/thought-leaders/42559-aquino-address-pork-barrel.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !6
http://www.rappler.com/thought-leaders/42559-aquino-address-pork-barrel
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na pinutikan ng mga taong mas unang dapat manalamin upang makita
ang mga dungis sa kanilang mukha. 3
D. Explanation
The premise is Milyung-milyong Pilipino ang nagbigay sa akin ng
tiwala kaya ako ay nasa Senado. Hindi ako pinili at niluklok lamang
ng iilan. Ang malaking bilang ng aking mga kababayan ang patuloy
kong magiging inspirasyon sa pakikipaglaban while the conclusion is
Hanggang sa dumating ang panahon na malinis kong muli ang aking
pangalan na pinutikan ng mga taong mas unang dapat manalamin upang
makita ang mga dungis sa kanilang mukha.
The speaker tries to evoke pity by using expressive words to
make it seem like he is in a miserable state. This is in support of
his assertion that it is not him, rather, his detractors that
actually have dirt to hide. He also tries to appeal to the populace
by referencing to the number of voters that won him the Senatorial
bid.
III. The Appeal to Force (Argument Ad Baculum) A fallacy in
which the argument relies on the threat of force; the threat may be
veiled
A. Example
Luy tells court: Napoles brother threatened to kill him by Jamie
Elona (October 25, 2013)
Hayop ka traydor ka. Alam mo Benhur convicted criminal na ako,
wala nang saysay buhay ko, papatayin kita para lang sa ate ko (I am
already a convicted criminal. My life is meaningless already. I
will kill you just for my sister), Luy quoted Napoles brother,
Reynald Jojo Lim as saying last December 19, 2012, minutes after
Napoles scanned Luys cellphone and saw messages from one Flor and
Maya 4
Senate Press Release, Privilege Speech of Senator Jinggoy
Estrada (Jun. 11, 2014) accessed at
3https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2014/0611_estradaj1.asp.
Jamie Elona, Luy tells court: Napoles brother threatened to kill
him (Oct. 25, 2013) 4accessed at
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/514029/luy-tells-court-napoles-brother-threatened-to-kill-him.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !7
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/514029/luy-tells-court-napoles-brother-threatened-to-kill-himhttps://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2014/0611_estradaj1.asp
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B. Explanation
The premise, Hayop ka traydor ka. Alam mo Benhur convicted
criminal na ako, is concluded by: Wala nang saysay buhay ko,
papatayin kita para lang sa ate ko.
This is an example of argumentum ad baculum. Jojo Lim argues
that since he is already a convicted criminal, he can do almost
anything, with nothing to lose--even if this means, one day he
decides to kill Luy. A fallacy of ad baculum is committed when
threat of force is relied upon to win consent.
IV. The Argument against the Person (Argument Ad Hominem) A
fallacy in which the argument relies on an attack against the
person taking a position; an ad
hominem attack can be abusive or circumstantial
ABUSIVE A. Example The Untold PDAF Story That People Should
Know: Privilege Speech
of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada (September 25, 2013) Nakalimutan na yata
ni coa chairwoman Grace Pulido-Tan ang resolution na ito because it
was before the media that she dramatically presented the special
audit report. Inilako at inilibot pa ni chairwoman Grace Pulido-Tan
ang audit report sa iba't ibang tv stations. Emosyonal at ma-drama
pa nga niyang sinabi na napahagulgol siya dahil sa kahindik-hindik
na nakita nya sa coa report. Aba'y kahit ako o kayo ay
mapapa-hagulgol kung ang isang report na ibinigay ay hindi
kumpleto, walang ni-piso man lang na disallowance and even
violative of coa resolution as to the way it was disseminated!
Despite having taken nearly three (3) years to conduct, the special
audit report was still incomplete in coverage. Chairwoman
Pulido-Tan said that the audit covered only 58 percent of the total
pdaf releases in the years covered (2007 to 2009) and only 32
percent of total vilp or releases to DPWH. Chairwoman Pulido-Tan
atttributed this crudely done piece-meal report to DBM's failure to
render the complete schedule of releases under the 2007-2009 PDAF
and the infrastructure projects under the vilp of DPWHEither
chairman Pulido-Tan is too lazy to do her job or she is ignorant of
the main
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !8
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function of COA or just plainly clueless as to what are being
done by her resident auditors. 5
B. Explanation
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada is questioning the integrity of the Special
Audit Report prepared by the Commission on Audit (COA) for being
incomplete in coverage and violative of a COA Resolution. He
results to inflicting personal damage by attacking the character of
the COA Chairwoman as a way of refuting the credibility of the
Report.
CIRCUMSTANTIAL A. Example
The Untold PDAF Story That People Should Know: Privilege Speech
of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada (September 25, 2013)
Very clearly, Chairwoman Pulido-Tan failed to obey the
constitutional mandate reposed on COA and that is, compliance audit
focused on public accountability that disallow irregular,
unnecessary, excessive and extravagant or unconscionable
expenditures or uses of government funds. Add also the fact that
she violated, and continues to do soChairman Grace, gumising ka na!
Mukha yatang lagi kayong naje-jet-lag sa kaka-biyahe nyo sa ibang
bansa. Lagi po siyang wala rito sa ating bansa, ginoong pangulo.
Noong 2010, limang beses siyang umalis ng ating bansa. Noong 2011,
siyam na beses. At noong nakaraang taon lamang 2012, sampung beses.
Halos buwan-buwan ay umaalis siya. At ito lang taon na ito, hindi
pa natatapos ang taon, siyam na beses siyang umalis ng ating bansa.
Kahindik-hindik, di po ba? At mukhang mapapahagulgol din tayo dito.
Chairwoman Grace, gawin nyo po muna nang maayos ang inyong trabaho
at hanapin ang p69.2 billion pesos unaudited releases noong taong
2007, 2008 at 2009. At tapusin nyo na rin po muna ang pag-audit ng
mga pondong nailaan noong 2010, 2011 at 2012. Huwag muna po ang
pag-biyahe sa ibang bansa ang inyong atupagin. 6
Senate Press Release, Privilege Speech of Senator Jinggoy
Estrada The Untold PDAF 5Story That The People Should Know (Sept.
25, 2013) accessed at
https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2013/0926_estradaj1.asp.
Id.6
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !9
https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2013/0926_estradaj1.asp
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B. Explanation
Sen. Jinggoy Estrada obliges that COA Resolution 97-006 has been
violated; and calls to attention the fact that COA Chairwoman Grace
Pulido-Tan has been out of the country a number of times in the
past years. This is fallacious because an attack against Pulido-Tan
and her trips abroad, is generally not relevant to the objective
merits of Estradas arguments re: violation of a COA Resolution.
V. Irrelevant Conclusion (Ignoratio Elenchi) A type of fallacy
in which the premises support a different conclusion than the one
that is proposed.
A. Example
Navigating the Crimes of the Plunder Mastermind: Privilege
Speech of Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago (December 4, 2013)
Enrile tried to portray me in the blackest terms. He pointedly
ignored the fact that I am a laureate of the Asian Nobel Prize, the
1988 Magsaysay Award for government service. According to the
official citation, the Award recognizes her bold and moral
leadership in cleaning up a graft-ridden government agency. Media
has noted that I am reportedly the most awarded Filipino public
official, because I won such awards as TOYM, TOWNS, and U.P.s most
outstanding law alumnus. 7
B. Explanation
Enriles allegations against Miriam, by correct reasoning, cannot
be disproved by such awards. Its tantamount to manipulating the
character of the argument to deliberately mislead and hinder
rational inference.
Senate Press Release, Privilege Speech of Senator Miriam
Defensor Santiago Navigating 7The Crimes of the Plunder Mastermind
(Dec. 4, 2013) accessed at
https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2013/1204_santiago2.asp.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !10
https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2013/1204_santiago2.asp
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Fallacies of Defective Induction Fallacies where some common
mistakes in argument arise because the premises, although they may
not be totally irrelevant, are adequate to
warrant the conclusion
I. Argument from Ignorance (Ad Ignorantiam) An informal fallacy
in which a conclusion is supported by an illegitimate appeal to
ignorance,
as when it is supposed that something is likely to be true
because we cannot prove that it is false
A. Example
Linking Roxas to PDAF scam malicious Lacierda by Madel Sabater
(September 5, 2013)
Any suggestion that Secretary Mar Roxas is involved in any scam
is malicious, I dont know why this is being made an issue. In his
years of public service, Secretary Mar Roxas has never been tainted
with any allegation of anomaly. So, if youre asking Secretary Mar
Roxas if he is willing to provide documents, yes, he is willing to
provide documents and all these can be found in the audit report of
COA, Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a press
briefing. 8
B. Explanation
Even though Mar Roxas has never been involved in any scams, this
does not constitute a permanent bar to any future scams.
Madel Sabater, Linking Roxas to PDAF scam malicious Lacierda
(Sept. 5, 2013) 8accessed at
http://www.mb.com.ph/linking-roxas-to-pdaf-scam-malicious-lacierda/#VOz3ZA0x4osbOlgK.99.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !11
http://www.mb.com.ph/linking-roxas-to-pdaf-scam-malicious-lacierda/%23VOz3ZA0x4osbOlgK.99
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II. The Appeal to Inappropriate Authority (Ad Verecundiam) An
informal fallacy in which the appeal to authority is illegitimate
because the authority
appealed to has no special claim to expertise on the matter in
question
A. Example
ANC Headstart Interview of Karen Davila with ERAP (June 19,
2014) Karen: As a father and as a former president whos faced the
same issues...do you believe that he misused his PDAF and placed it
in Janet Lim-Napoless fake NGOs?
Erap: No, Ive been a senator, you just leave it, they ask for
your pork barrel and just leave it to your secretary 9
B. Explanation
This argument is fallacious because Erap invoked his prior
experience as a Senator in order to further his assertion that his
son is not guilty, even though the fact remains that being a
Senator has nothing to do with knowing whether or not a person has
been guilty of such a crime in the pork barrel scam.
III. False Cause An informal fallacy in which mistake arises
from accepting as the cause of something that is
not really its cause A. Example
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago addressing some 2,000 students
of the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) in Batangas
City
The first time I challenged Enrile to a debate, he declined and
instead called on Lacson to shower me with near-illiterate insults,
including an oxymoron. If this second time Enrile again evades
debate, that will be an admission that he is the mastermind of the
plunder of some P10 billion of the taxpayers money;
ANC Headstart Interview of Karen Davila with Former President
and now Manila Mayor 9Joseph Estrada (Jun. 19, 2014) accessed at
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/06/19/14/erap-jinggoy-careless-innocent-pdaf-scam.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !12
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/06/19/14/erap-jinggoy-careless-innocent-pdaf-scam
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and that he is insulting me on a personal level, as a
diversionary tactic, and as a smokescreen for his criminality.
10
B. Explanation
Senator Santiago asserts that if Enrile does not agree to
participate in a debate with her again, then he is admitting that
he is the mastermind of the pork barrel scam. On its face, the
argument is obviously fallacious due to the fact that Enrile could
easily have other valid reasons why he could not agree to the
debate.
POST HOC ERGO PROPTER HOC
A. Example
Salamat Kaibigan: The privilege speech of Senator Ramon Bong
Revilla, Jr.
(June 9, 2014) Mr. President, napakarami na pong mga tao ang
nababanggit sa usaping PDAF. Napakarami na pong nasasaktan.
Napakarami nang nasira ang buong pagkatao dahil sa pagbato ng putik
na parang alkitran nakumakapit sa balat at tumatagos na hanggang
kaluluwa. Pag nabanggit ka, tapos ka. Hanggang sa kaapo-apuhan mo,
wasak na. Buhay ka pa, ibinurol ka na para panooring ng buong
mundo, at pagkatapos, inilibing kapa.
B. Explanation
Senator Revillas argument is that once a person is implicated in
the pork barrel scam, that persons life, family, and reputation
comes to an end. This is fallacious because it implies that being
mentioned in the pork barrel scam is what leads to the detriment of
ones life and reputation. However, the fact remains that Bong
Revillas situation came about not because he was mentioned in the
scandal, but because he was allegedly involved in the illegal acts
pertinent to the issue at hand.
Senate Press Release, Miriam to College Students: Dont Vote For
Pork Barrel Scam 10Politicians in 2016 (Mar. 7, 2014) accessed at
https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2014/0307_santiago1.asp.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !13
https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2014/0307_santiago1.asp
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IV. Hasty Generalization An informal fallacy in which a
principle that is true of a particular case is applied,
carelessly
or deliberately, to the great run of cases. A. Example
Salamat, Kaibigan: The privilege speech of Senator Ramon Bong
Revilla, Jr. (June 9, 2014)
Panguluhan mo ang bansa sa kaunlaran at progreso para huwag
masayang ang 6 na taon na ipinagkatiwala sa iyo. Napakasaklap na
mahusgahan ka ng kasaysayan bilang isang tinimbang ngunit
nagkulang. You still have 2 remaining years. Hindi tama at hindi
maganda na maaalala ka at ang iyong administrasyon sa pagpapakulong
lamang ng mga hindi mo kaalyado. Jailing your oppositors should not
be the only achievement and legacy you will be leaving behind.
B. Explanation
This statement of Senator Bong Revilla implies that the
President and his administration will be remembered solely for
realizing the imprisonment of his political enemies. A hasty
generalization is made because such assertion is derived from
isolating President Aquinos jailing of his opponents to his other
achievements. It presumes that this is the only legacy that
President Aquino will be leaving be behind, based only upon the
fact that there has been some arrests made upon his political
enemies during his term.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !14
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Fallacies of Presumption Fallacies in which the conclusion
depends on a tacit assumption that is
dubious, unwarranted, or false
I. Fallacy of Accident A fallacy in which a generalization is
wrongly applied to a particular case.
A. Example
Farce by Conrado de Quiros (March 17, 2014) If Luy and Tuason
and Cunanan have been forced or threatened into testifying, then
surely it would be the easiest thing to show them up. Fearful
people tend to be tremendously anxious and nervous and trip on
their answers. 11
B. Explanation
In this example Luy and Tuason were improperly generalized as
fearful people because the fact that they gave in to the threat of
prosecution and chose to testify to avoid does not necessarily
imply that the are fearful people. Moreover, being anxious and
nervous when testifying under oath is normal especially given the
circumstances of their case wherein theres is a dilemma between
ratting out powerful individuals and facing serious criminal
charges.
Conrado de Quiros, Farce (Mar. 17, 2014) accessed at
http://opinion.inquirer.net/72691/11farce#ixzz3UZ7eO5Kw.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !15
http://opinion.inquirer.net/72691/farce%23ixzz3uz7eo5kw
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II. Complex Question A fallacy in which a question is asked in
way that presupposes the truth of some proposition
buried within the question. A. Example
Miriam Santiago on Napoles, Senate Hearing on Pork Barrel Scam
(November 7, 2013)
Ngayon palang sabihin mo na, sa tingin mo, sino ang
pinaka-guilty sa mga nasangkot? 12
B. Explanation:
During the Senate Hearing on the Pork Barrel issue, Senator
Miriam Defensor Santiago asked Napoles this question. It is a
complex question as it was asked in a way wherein it assumes that
those implicated in the scandal were already guilty. Regardless of
how Napoles responds to the question, it will be presupposed that
all of those implicated are guilty and the only question to answer
is the degree of guilt.
III. Begging the Question A fallacy in which the conclusion is
stated or assumed within one of the premises. Also known
as petition principia or as a circular argument.
A. Example
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago addressing some 2,000 students
of the Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) in Batangas
City
Politicians who purposely refrain from participating in the
national debate on the pork barrel scandal are politicians who are
cowards, because they refuse to take a position for fear of
incurring the anger of the guilty ones. This kind of cowardice is
anathema to leadership, the feisty senator said. 13
Senate Blue Ribbon Committee Hearing (Nov. 7, 2013) accessed at
https://12www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9ZTic0o_gA.
Senate Press Release, Miriam to College Students: Dont Vote For
Pork Barrel Scam 13Politicians in 2016 (Mar. 7, 2014) accessed at
https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2014/0307_santiago1.asp.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !16
https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2014/0307_santiago1.asphttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9ZTic0o_gA
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B. Explanation:
During this Address made by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago in
Lyceum University in Batangas, she committed the fallacy of begging
the question wherein the conclusion that the politicians who did
not participate on the debate on the pork barrel issue are cowards
is inferred and assumed immediately from the premise.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !17
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Fallacies of Ambiguity Fallacies caused by a shift or confusion
of meanings within an argument,
also known as sophisms
I. Fallacy of Equivocation A fallacy in which two or more
meanings of a word or phrase are used in different parts of an
argument.
A. Example
GMA News Coverage on Miriam Santiago Speech August 28, 2013
Banat Laban Sa Pork Barrel at Kapwa Pulitiko
The brain of a Filipino politician has two sides, the left has
nothing right in it. The right side has nothing left in it. 14
B. Explanation:
Senator Miriam Santiago in this speech took jabs at her fellow
politicians. In her usual humorous manner she referred to the left
and right sides of the brain. This statement is a fallacy of
equivocation wherein the words left and right were both used to
express two different meanings respectively. (1) Left as in
referring to a side and direction and (2) left meaning to go away
or abandon. (1) Right as in referring to a side and direction and
(2) right meaning correct or morally good.
Saksi Newscast: Sen. Miriam, Santiago, bumanat laban sa pork
barrel at mga kapwa-14pulitiko (Aug. 28, 2013) accessed at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKofqG8gRZs.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKofqG8gRZs
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II. Fallacy of Amphiboly A fallacy in which a loose or awkward
combination of words can be interpreted more than one way; the
argument contains a premise based on one interpretation while the
conclusion relies on a different interpretation.
A. Example
Navigating the Crimes of the Plunder Mastermind: Privilege
Speech of Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago (December 4, 2013)
Despite all his posturing, Enriles specialty is only tax law.
Hence, all his properties are either abroad, in the name of others,
or in the name of corporations. In 1975, during martial law, he
built a residence in exclusive Dasmarias Village. Two years later,
he built a house in Valle Verde, registered in the name of Jaka
Investments Corp., his family firm. In 1985, he built a huge beach
house in his prime beachfront property in Natipuan, Nasugbu,
Batangas. But in his SAL-N 2012, belying his wanton lifestyle,
including corrupt minions and a private army on his payroll, he
declared a net worth of only P118 million. His legal expertise is
obviously tax evasion. 15
B. Explanation
In essence, amphiboly deals with a premise based on one
interpretation, while its conclusion relies on a different
interpretation. The example shows how meaning can be changed with
the use of words. Tax law can be twisted to mean expertise in
evasion of the same because Miriam Santiago uses the meaning of tax
law innocently at the start of the paragraph, while concludes that
it is malicious at the end.
Senate Press Release, Privilege Speech of Senator Miriam
Defensor Santiago Navigating 15The Crimes of the Plunder Mastermind
(Dec. 4, 2013) accessed at
https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2013/1204_santiago2.asp.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !19
https://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2013/1204_santiago2.asp
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III. Fallacy of Accent A fallacy in which a phrase is used to
convey two different meanings within an argument, and
the difference is based on changes in emphasis given to words
within the phrase
A. Example
Body Language by Conrado de Quiros (February 16, 2014) What made
this hilariously ironic, or ironically hilarious, is that Jinggoy
read this from his own prepared written statement. If you cant
trust yourself to say exactly what you feel at this very moment,
how can you trust yourself to say exactly what you did years ago?
Naturally you need to confer with others to check your recollection
of things. 16
B. Explanation
The fallacy of accent basically requires that there be a
different meaning to the sentence should emphasis on some word/s be
added. This example is a simple case of sarcasm. The word
naturally, if not emphasized, would affect the meaning of the whole
idea of the paragraph, that one actually needs to confer with
others to check his/her recollection of things. Emphasized, it
would mean that one should not need to confer with others to check
his/her recollection of things and to confer with others shows that
ones recollection of facts is faulty.
IV. Fallacy of Composition A fallacy in which an interference is
mistakenly drawn from the attributes of the parts of a
whole, to the attributes of the whole.
A. Example
Inconvenient Truths by Conrado de Quiros (March 20, 2014) Some
180 people are close to two-thirds the number of our congressmen.
Even assuming that not all of them are congressmen, and not all of
them are guilty,
Conrado de Quiros, Body language (Feb. 16, 2014) accessed at
http://16opinion.inquirer.net/71645/body-language#ixzz3UZ9DHSE8.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !20
http://opinion.inquirer.net/71645/body-language%23ixzz3UZ9DHSE8
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180-plus is still an eye-popping number. Little wonder a group
of baboons has also been called a congress. 17
B. Explanation
Essential in the fallacy of composition is that the inference is
mistakenly drawn from attributes of the parts of a whole to the
attributes of the whole. In this example, the author mistakenly
infers that because some of Congress is guilty, the Congress as a
whole is as stupid as a group of baboons (metaphorically, of
course).
V. Fallacy of Division A fallacy in which a mistaken inference
is drawn from the attributes of a whole to the attributes
of the parts of the whole.
A. Example
Is Miriam the only real senator left? by Rigoberto Tiglao
(November 26, 2014)
History will condemn the 16th Congress as the worst ever Aquinos
rubber stamp, especially for the 2015 budget. But what happened to
the senators we would have thought had the brains, independence and
courage to protest this ignominy that is the 2015 budget the
economist Ralph Recto, the level-headed Sergio Osmena, the once
swashbuckling Greg Honasan, the business-minded Cynthia Villar and
the mestiza Grace Poe? Nancy Binay should be told she is not in the
senate just to defend her father while Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should
remember his father was a studious, bold opposition leader at least
for a time. Are Loren Legarda and Pia Cayetano still senators?
18
Conrado de Quiros, Inconvenient truths (Mar. 20, 2104) accessed
at http://17opinion.inquirer.net/72777/inconvenient-truths.
Rigoberto Tiglao, Is Miriam the only real senator left? (Nov.
26, 2014) accessed at
http://18www.manilatimes.net/miriam-real-senator-left/144424/.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !21
http://www.manilatimes.net/miriam-real-senator-left/144424/http://opinion.inquirer.net/72777/inconvenient-truths
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B. Explanation
In the fallacy of division, an argument falsely assumes that
what is true of a whole must also be true of its parts. The example
gives the premise that the 16th Congress is a terrible one and
concludes therefore that the individual congressmen and
congresswomen in the 16th Congress are terrible congressmen and
congresswomen. It is a fallacy of division because it is not
necessarily true that if the Congress as a collective is terrible
that the individuals that make up the Congress are each terrible at
their jobs.
THE PORK BARREL FALLACIES !22