MANILA, Philippines – On the ripe previous age of 88 in 2012, Juan Ponce Enrile, then Senate President, discovered a revival of types in his recognition. The lawyer, a veteran of each the legislative and government branches of presidency, led the Senate in one of many first massive political gambles of the Benigno Aquino III administration: the impeachment of Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Enrile was referred to as a “rockstar,” thanks partially to a brand new technology of reports shoppers and political observers: the sort that tuned in through livestream and dwell tweets.
It was a second picture do-over of types for Enrile – the primary being in 1986, when he supported insurgent forces in opposition to the dictator Ferdinand Marcos, his long-time political patron, in an rebellion now referred to as the EDSA Individuals Energy Revolution. His position – or at the least the prevailing narrative then – “airbrushed” his fame because the dictator’s man. Apparently sufficient, each picture rehabs occurred on the cusp, or proper in the midst of, an Aquino presidency.
Practically 4 many years after Enrile’s first political refresh and a decade after his second, he steps into the political limelight but once more, this time beneath a second Marcos president, as chief presidential authorized counsel to Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the son and namesake of the dictator.
President’s authorized counsel
As chief presidential authorized counsel (CPLC), Enrile will advise and provides authorized help to Marcos on all or any issues, together with laws. Memorandum Order No. 152, issued by then-president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2004, states that the CPLC will evaluate or draft authorized orders from the president, determine on “investigations” that contain high-ranking officers together with members of the Cupboard, and every other activity the President assigns them, amongst others.
Most up-to-date CPLCs have been shut mates of the presidents they served.
President Rodrigo Duterte first picked Salvador Panelo as his chief authorized counsel, then picked Melchor Quitain to switch the previous when he resigned to run for the Senate. Panelo is a long-time good friend of Duterte’s whereas Quitain was metropolis administrator when Duterte was Davao Metropolis mayor.
The late president Benigno Aquino III’s longest-serving chief authorized counsel was his classmate, now Supreme Court docket Justice Benjamin Caguioa.
The Enrile story
Enrile’s rising up years, as advised in his 2012 autobiography, reads like a script for Maalala Mo Kaya or Magpakailanman. He grew up poor, the love youngster of a robust man. The younger Enrile persevered, incomes an affiliate diploma from Ateneo de Manila, a legislation diploma from the College of the Philippines, and a Masters of Legal guidelines from Harvard Legislation College.
He was the elder Marcos’ finance secretary from 1966 to 1968, earlier than being appointed justice secretary from 1968 to 1970. When Marcos was reelected president, Enrile was once more appointed justice secretary from 1970 to 1971. He was appointed to the identical position in 1972.
An excellent lawyer, Enrile was first recruited by then-president Ferdinand Marcos when he received in opposition to reelectionist Diosdado Macapagal within the 1965 election. He was Marcos’ first finance secretary for 2 years, from 1966 to 1968, then justice secretary from 1968 to 1971.
He was appointed protection minister for from February 1970 to August 1971, and reappointed to the identical put up in January 1972. “This era was marked by pupil unrest and rebel from each Muslims within the south and a ragtag New Individuals’s Military in Central Luzon,” wrote Filipino journalist Manuel Mogato.
After Marcos declared Martial Legislation in September 1972, Enrile stayed on – even involving himself in a staged ambush that might be among the many pretext to declare martial rule. Whereas Enrile himself had stated it was staged, he would refute his personal declare many years later.
Extra not too long ago, Enrile modified his thoughts on China. In 2021, Enrile made an look throughout President Rodrigo Duterte’s common tackle, to speak about his assist of the President’s pro-China coverage. Below the Benigno Aquino III administration, Enrile was supportive of the federal government’s plan to hunt assist from worldwide allies in its battle in opposition to the superpower.
Below a Duterte presidency, Enrile stated the Philippines “should do all the pieces to keep away from irritating” Beijing.
The Martial Legislation years
In 2012, Enrile took on the position of storyteller in releasing his autobiography, Juan Ponce Enrile: A Memoir. The timing was good – he was the “rockstar” Senate president who led the Corona impeachment and his belief rankings have been at their highest.
And so inform – or “retell” historical past, he did.
Rappler editor-at-large Maritess Vitug wrote then in regards to the memoir: “Those that count on him to say mea culpa for Martial Legislation are in for an enormous disappointment. Actually, he justifies it.”
It shouldn’t be stunning then that in 2018, the previous protection minister claimed – falsely – that no political dissidents have been arrested in the course of the elder Marcos’ reign. A minimum of the late Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., Enrile’s colleague within the Senate, refuted that declare – he himself was arrested 4 occasions in the course of the late dictator’s rule.
An Amnesty Worldwide report from 1975 estimates that over 50,000 individuals have been arrested and detained beneath Martial Legislation from 1972 to 1975 – from human rights defenders, labor leaders, to journalists. Present estimates, additionally by Amnesty Worldwide, estimate the variety of imprisoned at 70,000. The group estimates over 34,000 have been tortured and three,240 killed whereas the older Marcos was in energy. Martial Legislation was lifted in 1981, virtually 9 years later, though abuses continued till the dictator was ousted from energy.
In a Fb put up days earlier than his appointment was introduced, Enrile provided “unsolicited recommendation” for nationwide safety officers within the second Marcos presidency.
“As an alternative of creating comfortable and [pacifist] statements seemingly supposed to quiet and to achieve the cooperation, belief, and confidence of the recurring bother makers on this nation, I recommend that they need to sharpen their intelligence info,” he wrote.
He went on to assert, citing “credible info,” that “there are teams in America and within the Philippine (sic) planning and getting ready to trigger severe embarrassment and bother for our newly elected president.”
Enrile went on to say he would give extra info “to the right officers of the brand new regime in due time.” Together with his appointment made public, Enrile’s going to be amongst these “correct officers.”
How will this a part of Philippine historical past determine into his personal long-running story? – MR
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