Senate honors Juan Ponce Enrile

The Senate honored the late former Senate President and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile on Wednesday, with several senators and officials remembering the legendary politician’s long career.

Enrile’s public service spanned eight presidencies, from Ferdinand Edralin Marcos in 1968 to the current administration of Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos in 2025.

Senate President Tito Sotto led the eulogies, conveying his deepest sympathies and stating that Enrile “leaves behind a legacy that not only reverberates and echoes through these walls but also through our nation.”

Sotto cited Enrile’s time in the chamber, where he “proposed legislation, investigated persons, heard testimonies, debated crucial points, and played crucial roles,” later serving as Senate President and presiding over an impeachment trial.

Also, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo paid her respects, describing Enrile as “a legend in his own lifetime” whose “sheer force of his intelligence, political skill, and powerful presence” made him one of the era’s most enduring public servants.

She added that he was “sometimes intimidating but always respected by friends and foes alike for his unsurpassed brilliance.”

The Senate earlier adopted Senate Resolution No. 176, expressing the chamber’s deepest sympathies on Enrile’s death.

Senators recalled Enrile’s mentorship and impact. Senate President Pro Tempore said Enrile mentored him, particularly in campaigning, and praised his dedication to Senate employees.

“Manong Johnny did not simply pass through history. He walked alongside it, making sure that he stood at its center,” he said.

Senator Erwin Tulfo described Enrile’s passing as marking the “end of an era,” shaped by the former senator’s “steady hand, his remarkable memory, and his unparalleled understanding of the laws and institutions that anchor the country.”

Meantime, Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito, who was Enrile’s seatmate as a young senator, recalled him as a “natural mentor” who generously shared his wisdom with new legislators. Similarly, Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada shared heartfelt reflections on Enrile’s deep friendship and unwavering loyalty to his family, particularly his father, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada.

Estrada said that while most remember Enrile as a central political figure through critical moments, “Manong Johnny is and will always be nothing less than family.”

Enrile’s daughter, Katrina Ponce Enrile, thanked the Senate, recalling her father’s description of the chamber as a place of loneliness due to the shifting political seasons.

“What mattered was your love for the Philippines. That was the only credential he required,” she said.