VP Sara denies plagiarism, says to watch out for next book

Vice President Sara Duterte denied allegations of plagiarizing the children’s book “Isang Kaibigan,” which she authored.

“Napakadaling sumulat ng maikling kwento batay sa sariling karanasan, hindi na kailangang mangopya pa (It’s easy to write a short story based on one’s experience, there’s no need to copy),” she said.

Duterte said that the book project aimed to help Filipino children improve their reading.

“Ang proyekto ay para mahikayat ang mga bata na mahalin ang pagbabasa at sumulat ng sarili nilang kwento. Hindi ang libro ang problema ng bayan kundi ang kahinaan sa pagbabasa ng ating Kabataan,” Duterte said.

(The project aims to encourage children to love reading and writing their own stories. The book is not the problem but the reading comprehension of our youth)

“Abangan ninyo ang susunod kong isusulat na libro tungkol sa pagtataksil ng isang kaibigan,” she added.

(Watch out for the next book I will write about the betrayal of a friend)

OVP spokesperson Michael Poa, on Wednesday, also said that the book was copyrighted and had been registered since December 2023 despite online allegations that it was plagiarized from a graphic novel of American author and artist Andy Runton titled, "Owly Just a Little Blue”.

Duterte published “Isang Kaibigan”, which was about “the value of true friendship and kindness” in 2023.

The book tells the story of an owl who lost his bird friends and home in a storm, and a friendly parrot who helped him rebuild his nest.

The book was also one of the causes of a spat between the Vice President and Senator Risa Hontiveros during a Senate Budget hearing on Tuesday. —LDF, GMA Integrated News