Nilinaw ni Senator-Judge Vicente “Tito” Sotto III nitong Martes na maaaring gamitin ang isang alyas bilang “pseudonym” para sa mga layuning pang-entertainment, ngunit kung walang totoong tao sa likod nito, maaari itong ituring na isang “fictitious name” o “pekeng pangalan.”

Sa ika-20 araw ng impeachment trial kay Vice President Sara Duterte sa Senate impeachment court, binanggit ni Sotto ang Republic Act No. 6085, na na nagtatakda ng alituntunin sa paggamit ng mga alyas.

“It’s only allowed in the Philippines for pseudonyms, solely for literary, cinema, television and other entertainment purposes. Therefore, if there is a person behind the alias, then it is an alias,” anang senador.

“If there is no person behind the name, it is a fictitious name or a fake name. Just for the record, Mr. President,” dagdag niya.

Nakasaad sa Section 1 ng RA 6085 na: “Except as a pseudonym solely for literary, cinema, television, radio or other entertainment purposes and in athletic events where the use of pseudonym is a normally accepted practice, no person shall use any name different from the one with which he was registered at birth in the office of the local civil registry, or with which he was baptized for the first time, or, in case of an alien, with which he was registered in the Bureau of Immigration upon entry; or such substitute name as may have been authorized by a competent court.”

Sotto made the manifestation in response to an exchange between Senator-Judge Robin Padilla and private prosecutor Mae Divinagracia on Wednesday, August 26, regarding the use of aliases in confidential activities.

Ginawa ni Sotto ang pahayag bilang tugon sa palitan ng mga salita nina Senator-Judge Robin Padilla at private prosecutor Mae Divinagracia noong Miyerkules, Agosto 26, tungkol sa paggamit ng mga alyas sa mga lihim na gawain.

Sa pagdinig, binanggit ni Padilla na gumamit din ng mga alyas ang mga bayani at katipunero noong panahon ng pananakop ng mga Kastila. Kabilang sa mga halimbawang binanggit ng senador ay sina Dimasalang, na alyas ni José Rizal; Siling Labuyo, na ginamit ni Marcelo H. del Pilar; Taga-Ilog, na ginamit ni Antonio Luna; Magdalo, na ginamit ni Emilio Aguinaldo; at Lakambini, na ginamit ni Lope K. Santos, bukod sa iba pa.

Gayunman, iginiit ni Divinagracia na iba ang mga kalagayan noong panahong ginagamit ang mga alyas dahil may digmaan noon at nasa ilalim ng pamamahala ng mga Espanyol ang Pilipinas.

Noong Martes, bago aprubahan ang trial journal, pinabulaanan din ni Sotto ang isang ulat na umano’y hindi pinayagang sumagot si Divinagracia at ilang beses na pinutol ang kaniyang pagsagot habang nagtatanong si Padilla.

“I browsed through the journal and she was able to, Atty. Divinagracia, I believe, she was able to answer most of the questions. There was one or two instances where she was cut off, but I think she was pertaining to, so just for the record, to complete it, she was pertaining to Republic Act 6085, and I think the court allowed her to answer this but probably she was not able to elaborate more,” ani Sotto.

Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero took note of Sotto’s manifestation and confirmed that Divinagracia was able to answer Padilla’s query.

Binigyang-pansin naman ni Senate impeachment court Presiding Officer Francis Escudero ang pahayag ni Sotto at kinumpirma na nakasagot si Divinagracia sa tanong ni Padilla.

“Although she was not able to give that much detail that the good senator-judge made,” ani Escudero.— FRJ GMA News