By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos | Philippine News Agency
Malacañang on Thursday drew a distinction between the pseudonyms used by Filipino heroes during the revolutionary period and the aliases appearing in receipts submitted by the Office of the Vice President (OVP) for its confidential funds.
In a Palace press briefing, Press Officer and Undersecretary Claire Castro said Senator-judge Robin Padilla’s comparison of the two situations should be viewed in the proper context.
Sen. Padilla had compared the aliases appearing in OVP receipts, including Mary Grace Piattos, Andy Lim, Pagong, Pusa, and Belat, with the pseudonyms and code names used by Filipino heroes.
“Hindi tayo huhusga at hahayaan natin ang mga kababayan at ang mga senador ang siyang humusga rito,” Usec. Castro said.
Usec. Castro, however, pointed to a key difference between the two, saying the identities of the Filipino heroes who used pseudonyms were known, while the identities of the individuals named in the OVP receipts have yet to be established.
“Ang mga bayani noon, kahit gumamit ng pseudonym ay alam nating totoong tao. Sa ngayon, ang mga resibong naipakita, hindi natin alam kung totoong tao o sila ay multo or mga ghost beneficiaries,” she said.
Castro said Filipino heroes used pseudonyms to conceal their identities while writing and fighting to defend Filipinos during the colonial period.
She added that the country’s heroes served the nation without expecting payment, while the individuals identified in the receipts were allegedly paid for their roles as informants.
“Ang mga bayani noon ay lumalaban para sa bayan nang walang bayad. Pero iyong mga tumutulong na mga informant, informer sa kasalukuyan ay mukhang hindi kikilos nang walang bayad,” she said.
“Para sa kaalaman ng mga kabataan, kung ito ang pagkukumparahin natin, ang mga bayani noon ay lumalaban para sa bayan, itinatago ang pagkakakilanlan para sa bayan, pero iyong iba ngayon, itinatago ang pagkakakilanlan para sa bayad,” Usec. Castro added.
Usec. Castro said the Palace respects Padilla’s right to express his views but maintained that the differences between the two situations are clear.
She said the Malacañang’s position was not intended to judge Padilla but to clarify that the heroes’ use of pseudonyms was not intended to conceal payments.
Sen. Padilla on Wednesday defended the use of aliases in the disbursement of the OVP’s confidential funds, citing historical figures such as Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, and Apolinario Mabini who used pseudonyms and code names to conceal their identities from Spanish authorities.
He said the use of aliases is necessary to maintain secrecy in confidential operations.
