Metro Manila, Philippines – Malacañang rejected comparisons between the pseudonyms used by national heroes and the aliases linked to Vice President Sara Duterte’s confidential fund receipts, saying the heroes were real people who concealed their identities while fighting for the country.
Palace press officer Claire Castro made the distinction when asked in a media briefing about Senator Robin Padilla’s line of questioning during the impeachment trial.
Padilla cited national heroes who used pseudonyms during the revolution as he discussed the use of aliases in confidential fund transactions of the Office of the Vice President.
“Ikinumpara niya ang ating mga bayani sa tulad nina Mary Grace Piattos, Andy Lim, kay Pagong, Pusa at Belat. At masasabi natin ang facts kung paano ba nagkaiba,” Castro said on Thursday, Aug. 27.
[Translation: He compared our heroes with the likes of Mary Grace Piattos, Andy Lim, Pagong, Pusa and Belat. We can lay out the facts showing how they differ.]
Castro said the pseudonyms used by national heroes served to conceal their identities as they wrote and fought against colonial rule.
“Siguro 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.
[Translation: Perhaps the heroes of the past fought for the country without being paid. But informants today apparently would not act without being paid.]
The Palace also drew a distinction over whether the people behind the names actually existed.
“At 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,” Castro said.
[Translation: The heroes of the past, even if they used pseudonyms, were people we know actually existed. With the receipts presented now, we do not know whether these are real people or whether they are ghosts or ghost beneficiaries.]
Castro said Padilla has the right to pursue his own line of questioning as a senator-judge and that the Palace would not interfere.
“Karapatan po niya, kung ano po ang nasaloobin ni Senator Robin Padilla, hindi po ito panghihimasukan ng administrasyon, hindi po ito panghihimasukan ng Palasyo,” she said.
[Translation: He has the right to express what he believes. The administration and the Palace will not interfere.]
Castro said the Palace wanted to make the distinction clear, particularly for younger Filipinos learning about the country’s national heroes.
“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,” she said.
[Translation: The heroes of the past fought for the country and concealed their identities for the country. But some today conceal their identities for payment.]
