Former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile was laid to rest on Saturday at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB) in Taguig City, his final homecoming marked by full military honors — an austere tribute to a lifetime spent in the corridors of power and public service.

A funeral Mass, attended by family members, colleagues, and friends, was held at the Santuario de San Antonio Church in Makati City before the burial. Uniformed personnel stood in formation outside the church as the flag-draped casket was carried out.

Enrile, a long-time public servant, received full military honors led by Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.

His casket was brought to the gravesite following a funeral march, where his family and friends bid their final goodbye.

Enrile, who passed away at 101, served in multiple administrations and held key government roles for many years.

Heroes pantheon

His interment at the LNMB followed the honors customarily extended to former Cabinet officials and military reservists.

A lawyer by profession, Enrile began his national career in the 1960s and rose to prominence after being appointed Secretary of Justice and later Defense Minister.

Enrile served in both the executive and legislative branches, becoming one of the country’s most influential political figures.

He was a central figure during the political events of the 1980s and later transitioned to legislative work, serving multiple terms in the Senate.

During his tenure in the upper chamber, he chaired major committees and served as Senate President from 2008 to 2013.

Known for his extensive legal background, he was appointed Chief Presidential Legal Counsel under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, continuing to serve in government well into his later years.

Over the course of his career, Enrile contributed to key national policies, legal reforms, and defense-related initiatives.

Spider and the Fly

Among his final thoughts was a warning to those whom he said were so enamored of another country “very near us.”

“I suggest to them that they study deeply the implications of what they are proposing as our foreign policy vis-à-vis that country. I advise them to read, learn, and internalize the lesson depicted in a poem that generally guided me, among others, throughout my life as a public servant,” he advised.

Filipinos should not compare themselves with their neighbors in Southeast Asia. “They have their own geography, demographics, ethnicity, military capability, national interest, and strategic position and value in the region. Their individual national circumstances are so entirely different from ours,” he said.

The poem that he referred to was “The Spider and the Fly: A Fable” by Mary Howitt, which he said encapsulates his views.

The literary masterpiece ends with a warning: “And now, dear little children, who may this story read: To idle, silly, flattering words, I pray you ne’er give heed; Unto an evil counselor close heart, and ear, and eye, and take a lesson from this tale of the Spider and the Fly.”