De Lima defends Iqbal: Nothing wrong with use of alias

Video by Tetch Torres-Tupas/INQUIRER.net

Justice Secretary Leila de Lima defended the chief peace negotiator of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Mohagher Iqbal’s use of alias saying she did not see it as a problem that would affect the peace process.

“I do not think his use of alias will cause any problem,” De Lima told reporters on Friday.

Iqbal, during a Congressional hearing, admitted that “Mohagher Iqbal” is among his many aliases. However, he refused to disclose his real name.

BACKSTORY: Iqbal: Yes, I have many aliases

Under the Revised Penal Code, the use of aliases is punishable but there are certain exceptions, De Lima said, such as in literature or screen names for show biz personalities.

“His use of a nom de guerre can also be considered an exception in favor of the MILF or with the National Democratic Front (NDF) and other organizations with which we have had peace negotiations in the past. I think some of them if not most of them also used nom de guerre,” De Lima said.

She explained that these leaders are facing security risks and part of the peace negotiation is the requirement that they should surface. The use of an alias is one of the security measures.

READ: Iqbal alias, MILF ‘deception’ may affect peace pact—Marcos

She added that even if Iqbal signed a document using his alias it would not affect the legality of the said manuscript.

“I do not think it will affect the authenticity or the very legality of the document just because it is signed under a nom de guerre or an alias because he already admitted that that [Mohagher Iqbal] is his alias and he can no longer deny such representation,” De Lima said.

She added that the government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), knows his real name because Iqbal said it is listed on his passport. RC