Senator-Judge Robin Padilla on Wednesday pointed out that Filipino national heroes and late former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. also used aliases as he questioned the use of aliases in the disbursement of confidential funds during the 19th day of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial.
Padilla raised the issue while questioning Office of the Vice President (OVP) Assistant Chief of Staff Lemuel Ortonio about aliases appearing in acknowledgment receipts related to the OVP’s confidential funds.
“Ang ating mga bayani ay gumamit ng mga alyas,” Padilla said.
He cited historical figures who allegedly used aliases, including “Dimasalang,” “Lakambini,” “Tikbalang,” “Taga-ilog,” and “Liwanag,” saying assumed names were particularly important during wartime and confidential situations.
Padilla then asked Ortonio whether the use of aliases was appropriate in confidential fund transactions.
Ortonio said he could not give a definitive answer because he was not involved in the actual implementation of confidential activities on the ground.
“As someone who does not know implementations of confidential activities on the ground, hindi po ako makakasagot nang maayos kung pwede po ba or hindi,” Ortonio said.
House prosecution counsel Mae Divinagracia, meanwhile, said the use of aliases is not completely prohibited under the Anti-Alias Law, provided that the real name of the person is also disclosed.
“Under the Anti-Alias Law, sir, ina-allow naman po ’yung paggamit ng alias, provided kailangan po nakabanggit din, naka-disclose kung ano ’yung real name,” Divinagracia said.
She added that she could not comment on the circumstances surrounding the use of aliases in the OVP documents.
Padilla then raised the use of aliases by members of the New People’s Army, but Divinagracia distinguished an internal armed conflict from a war.
The prosecution later argued that the issue was not central to the impeachment proceedings.
“With all due respect, Your Honor, the prosecution respectfully submits that whether the use of alias is allowed or not, and whether it is necessary or not, to us, that is a non-issue because that was never raised,” Divinagracia said.
Padilla disagreed, saying the matter could not simply be dismissed as a “non-issue” because the prosecution had raised concerns about the names appearing in acknowledgment receipts for the OVP’s confidential funds.
Among the aliases identified in the proceedings were “Antonio Pagong,” “Timon Andrew Pusa,” “Don Piang,” “May Pamana,” “Shane Ngitngit,” and “Xuniso Belat.”
Padilla also mentioned the late Ninoy Aquino, saying the former senator himself used an alias.
Senator-Judge Bam Aquino confirmed that his uncle used an alias but pointed out that Ninoy Aquino did not have confidential funds.
The exchange came as the impeachment court examined the use of aliases in documents connected to the OVP’s confidential fund transactions.
