Sen. Bam Aquino on Wednesday clarified that while his uncle, former Sen. Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr., used the alias “Marcial Bonifacio,” his name did not appear on acknowledgment receipts for confidential funds.

The clarification came after Sen. Robin Padilla cited Aquino’s use of the alias during the 19th day Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial.

Padilla said the prosecution could not dismiss as a “non-issue” the use of aliases in confidential fund documents, noting that Aquino himself had used an alias.

“Kilala n’yo po ba kung sino si Marcial Bonifacio? [Siya] si Benigno Aquino Jr., si Ninoy, siya mismo may alias,” Padilla said.

Bam Aquino agreed that his uncle used the alias while he was in Boston and was seeking to return to the Philippines.

“Tama po si Ninoy Aquino ang kanyang alias ay Marcial Bonifacio para makauwi siya sa Pilipinas noong nasa Boston siya,” Aquino said.

“Pero wala naman siya sa mga AR na confidential funds,” he added.

The exchange followed arguments from prosecution lawyer Mae Divinagracia that the issue of whether the use of aliases was allowed or necessary was not relevant because it had not been raised as an issue in the proceedings.

Padilla disagreed, saying the matter was relevant to the prosecution’s characterization of names appearing in documents related to confidential funds linked to the vice president.