Senators Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. AP FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–Senators have signed official documents using aliases, Senate President Franklin Drilon said on Monday.
Among those senators, Drilon said, are Jinggoy Estrada, whose real name is Jose Pimentel Ejercito Jr., and Ramon Revilla Jr., whose real name is Jose Marie Mortel Bautista.
Their use of aliases or nicknames, however, does not invalidate the official documents they have signed, including committee reports and bills, Drilon said in a statement.
Nom de guerre
Drilon issued the statement amid a controversy over the use of an a nom de guerre by Mohagher Iqbal, chief peace negotiator of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has signed a peace agreement with the government.
Iqbal’s use of a nom de guerre would not invalidate the peace agreement, Drilon said. He urged Iqbal, however, to disclose his real name to help the peace process.
At Monday’s Senate hearing on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law, government chief negotiator Miriam Coronel-Ferrer also pointed out that Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, a former movie actor, signed the country’s official currency using his screen name when he was President of the Philippines.
“I don’t think there was a question even if it was signed [using] an alias,” Ferrer said, showing a facsimile of a P500 bill signed by Estrada.
Estrada was born Joseph Marcelo Ejercito. “Joseph Estrada” is his screen name. He is also called Erap.