Iqbal asks Senate not to reveal his name

MILF Chief Peace Negotiator Mohagher Iqbal at Thursday’s (Feb 12, 2015) Senate hearing on the Mamasapano clash (Photo courtesy of Sen. Grace Poe’s Facebook page)

MANILA — MORO Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal on Monday requested the senators not to reveal his true identity.

“We use nom de guerre to protect myself, my family, and the struggle. If I was harmed and killed, perhaps I would not be here in this august body,” Iqbal said.

Citing security risks, Iqbal said that the situation behind his use of an alias was “complicated.”

Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Senate committee chair on local government, however insisted that Iqbal reveals his true identity.

“It does not inspire confidence in anyone, when you’re sitting across the table and you’re not sure of the identity of the person you’re talking to,” Marcos said.

But Iqbal told the Senate that he will only reveal his name once the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which seeks to create the Bangsamoro political entity, was signed into a law.

“When the BBL is passed by Congress and hopefully ratified, that will be the time everything will normalize and we will disclose that,” Iqbal said.

“But at this point in time, I request the Honorable body not to compel me to reveal my identity,” he added.