Polytechnic University of the Philippines

College of Political Science and Public Administration

Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

ACTIVITY 03 – Logical Fallacies

DIOQUINO, Marianne S.

BAPS 2-3

1. HASTY GENERALIZATION

This excerpt from the article shows the unhinged declaration of the former president, Rodrigo Duterte,
about the justification of media killings, particularly of journalists. Despite classifying them into three and
saying that the last kind of journalist who is “low life” and demands money in exchange for stopping
exposes can die for all he cares, it could still be seen as a hasty generalization, offensive and brutal in its
own sense, and insensitive for the families of the killed journalists.

An article in Rappler narrated a scene presenting a clear exhibit of a hasty generalization where a child
called Pinoy rap battles such as FlipTop as “music of the lower class,” both carrying the weight of a fallacy
and also an offensive remark for the people in the lower sector.
 Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Political Science and Public Administration
Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

In this Twitter/X post of the Philippine Embassy in the USA, the statement about the Washington Post's
article entitled “This is Manila” that appeared on their front page on February 25, 2019, was shown as an
apology for discrediting the country's vision of the international community and painting a hasty
generalization of Manila that was lacking in foundation.

2. POST HOC

Justifying the pain and blood that the Martial Law has left the people, Duterte stated that “all of their gains
in security and peace and order have resulted in remarkable economic gains.” This could be seen as a post
hoc fallacy, implying that just because that particular unforgettable event happened, this economic gain
has now taken place.
 Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Political Science and Public Administration
Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

This article is an exhibit of how Senator Bato Dela Rosa flatters himself too much, as supposedly his US
visa cancellation was the cause of the Visiting Forces Agreement. In a post hoc fallacy, a belief exists that
something happened just because something did.

In this ridiculous statement of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy, he said that if the Appointed Son and the Kingdom
continue to be hurt, then the Delta virus variant of COVID-19 will have much worse effects than it already
has. Believing that the virus will be much worse just because someone is being hurt is an undeniable exhibit
of a post-hoc fallacy.
 Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Political Science and Public Administration
Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

3. BANDWAGON

It could be remembered in the last 2023 presidential election as a clear act of bandwagon fallacy by the
lawyer and former spokesperson, Atty. Harry Roque, who was an anti-Marcos and an advocate for human
rights, became a senatorial candidate under the Marcos party list. This was emphasized by Atty. Luke
Espiritu, also a candidate for Senate under the party of Atty. Leni Robredo.

The University of the Philippines graduate and now congresswoman, Stella Quimbo, was remembered as
a loud and proud supporter of Atty. Leni Robredo in her presidential campaign. After wearing a bright
shade of pink, she has now become a spokesperson for the defense of Vice President Sara Duterte’s
confidential funds. It shows two different versions of the congresswoman’s journey in politics and an
example of a bandwagon fallacy.
 Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Political Science and Public Administration
Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

Proven by former president Duterte’s actions, despite his pursuit of forming an allegiance with Russia and
China, he still wants to enjoy the benefits and protection that he’s been receiving from our military alliance
with the United States, showing a strong grip on the fallacy of bandwagonism.

4. AD HOMINEM

Famous for his unsolicited and rude remarks, former president Rodrigo Duterte bluntly made his
misogynistic statements directed at Senator Leila De Lima in an attempt to counter the argument about
him. He used the senator’s past issues and allegations about drugs and her relationship with her previous
driver, exhibiting an act of ad hominem with his personal and shallowly weak remarks.
 Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Political Science and Public Administration
Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

The apple doesn’t fall very far from the tree. Just like his father, Vice President Sara Duterte attempted to
attack her critics through ad hominem and said that she does not have respect for ACT Teachers
Representative France Castro and Senator Risa Hontiveros. This is in response to the questions being
thrown at her about the constitutionality of her P125 million confidential funds.

Another ad hominem fallacy of the former president Duterte was when he attacked Senator Gordon for
how talkative he becomes and how Senator Lacson changed his “hairdo” along with the other senators,
obviously out of the topic and made out of an attempt to counter someone’s argument despite having the
weaker one.

5. APPEAL TO AUTHORITY
 Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Political Science and Public Administration
Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

It could be remembered the issue of the controversial cult in Surigao del Norte, the Socorro Bayanihan
Services Inc. (SBSI), that was led by “Senior Agila." The minors were forced to marry because Senior Agila
told them that it would bring them to heaven, even if he didn’t have any credibility to say that or to be
believed in. This clearly shows an example of an appeal to authority, with people believing someone
without any valid basis.

One great example of an appeal to authority is the proliferating celebrity endorsements that have not been
scientifically proven; some are even fake. In this article, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada is pursuing the Senate to
conduct an inquiry about this and address the fallacy taking place.

In order to justify authoritarian governance, the former president Ferdinand Marcos decided to use the
constitutional law to establish a “new society” and a state of martial law. It is seen that this and other
fallacies have been going on since decades ago, aiming to justify something to people to achieve a claim.
 Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Political Science and Public Administration
Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

6. STRAW MAN

When the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) suggested a solution of hiring 30,000 teachers until 2028
in order to address the lack of teachers in public schools, VP Sara Duterte said that the suggestion was
impossible and an obviously deceptive maneuvers to undermine their administration under President
Bongbong Marcos. This shows an example of a straw man fallacy.

In her famous statement that even reached the meme community, VP Sara Duterte stated that those who
are against the confidential funds are against peace and are considered the enemies of the nation. This was
after being questioned about her plans for the confidential funds and where she plans to use them. After
the series of investigations and drama, all she can say is these statements instead of properly and directly
answering the questions.
 Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Political Science and Public Administration
Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

Another exhibit of the straw man fallacy is the father's statement about ACT Representative Castro being
a member of the Communist Party of the Philippines in relation to her daughter being pressured to answer
the questions about her confidential funds. Aside from the statement being an accusation, it also speaks to
his being an expert on this fallacy and more.

7. SLIPPERY SLOPE

This excerpt from an article in Rappler showed the masterpiece of the former president Rodrigo Duterte
after his six-year term in presidency, putting Asia’s oldest democracy on a “slippery slope to
authoritarianism.” With his past projects involving killing and authoritarian abuse, taking the lives of his
countrymen, the chain of effects became more evident after exiting the seat.

This is another political example involving Duterte and a straw man fallacy, from an article in the Senate
of the Philippines. Slippery slope involves one party says that a relatively little starting step results in a
series of connected occurrences that culminate in some significant effect.
 Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Political Science and Public Administration
Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

In this article, a slippery slope was highlighted in the belief that WTO membership ratification would lead
to a strong economy with the annual creation of half a million “new jobs” in industry and agriculture,
implying that a single step could result in a series of effects on our economic growth.

8. RED HERRING

Although it’s not a surprise anymore, the Duterte administration performed adequately well in the
different fallacies given. Red herring involves misleading arguments in an attempt to distract the opposing
side from a more central issue.
 Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Political Science and Public Administration
Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

In a statement by Sara Duterte in terms of the confidential funds that she will “no longer purse," the
misleading part was that her suggestion was to rather put the reallocated amount to the DepEd’s National
Learning Recovery Program, which is suspiciously still under her agency.

This opinion article with an editorial of how Duterte used distractions to direct the attention of the people
from the accident of the 22 fishermen on the Recto Bank to any distractions for the sake of his business
with the Chinese. Forget about sovereignty, Duterte will impose just about any distractions for his
connection with his beloved China.
 Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Political Science and Public Administration
Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

REFERENCES

1. https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2016/06/03/Duterte-media-killings-journalists.html
2. https://www.rappler.com/voices/ispeak/opinion-music-lower-class-defense-rap-music-blkd/
3. https://twitter.com/philippinesusa/status/1100212508470718464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Et
weetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1100212508470718464%7Ctwgr%5E7226cae891e22d44f9750dda2b614d5517
5b3e0e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcoconuts.co%2Fmanila%2Fnews%2Fph-embassy-
slams-washington-post-story-hasty-generalization-violence-manila%2F
4. https://www.rappler.com/voices/thought-leaders/220660-analysis-economic-fallacies-mindanao-martial-
law-extension/
5. https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2020/0218_delima3.asp
6. https://www.facebook.com/gmanews/photos/a.126333131976/10160578946171977/?type=3
7. https://www.rappler.com/nation/elections/senatorial-bet-luke-espiritu-refutes-harry-roque-larry-gadon-
martial-law-
claims/#:~:text=Harry%20Roque%2C%20I%20know%20your,praise%20Marcos%2C%E2%80%9D%20E
spiritu%20said.
8. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/stella-quimbo-profile-controversial-star-political-
crossroads/
9. https://www.cato.org/commentary/what-are-philippines-malaysia-doing-when-it-comes-china-its-
called-bandwagoning
10. https://www.rappler.com/nation/143353-duterte-hits-leila-de-lima/
11. https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/in-depth/sara-duterte-resorts-personal-attacks-critics-
confidential-funds-budget/
12. https://malaya.com.ph/news_opinion/dutertes-baffling-ad-hominem-rants/
13. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1748746/fwd-vp-duterte-hiring-of-30k-teachers-yearly-unrealistic-
impossible
14. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/884236/vp-sara-ang-kontra-sa-confidential-
funds-ay-kontra-sa-kapayapaan/story/
15. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1861091/duterte-on-subpoena-over-castros-complaint-id-rather-go-to-jail
16. https://www.rappler.com/nation/duterte-put-philippines-slippery-slope-authoritarianism/
17. https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2016/0809_gordon1.asp
18. https://businessmirror.com.ph/2022/12/07/economy-standing-on-slippery-slope/
 Polytechnic University of the Philippines
College of Political Science and Public Administration
Department of Political Science
Sta. Mesa, Manila

19. https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/opinion/2018/09/29/1855773/red-october-more-red-herring
20. https://verafiles.org/articles/vera-files-fact-check-sara-dutertes-statement-on-confidential-funds-
misleads
21. https://www.sunstar.com.ph/cebu/opinion/editorial-a-regime-of-red-herrings
22. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1838034/teen-socorro-cult-compel-marriage-sex-with-adults-to-go-to-
heaven
23. https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2023/07/04/2278473/probe-sought-fake-celeb-product-
endorsements
24. https://th.boell.org/en/2022/09/23/martial-law-50