Juan Ponce Enrile — a figure who helped shape martial law, witnessed the rise and fall of presidents, and remained a force in government well into his late years — died on Thursday, November 13.
He was 101.
His daughter, Katrina Ponce Enrile, announced his passing through a Facebook post that described a quiet final moment at home.
“It is with profound love and gratitude that my father, Juan Ponce Enrile, peacefully returned to his Creator on November 13, 2025, at 4:21 p.m., surrounded by our family in the comfort of our home,” she said.
She shared that honoring his wish to spend his final hours with family “in those sacred final moments” brought them profound gratitude.
Katrina added that Enrile devoted much of his life “to the service of the Filipino people,” and asked the public for understanding as the family takes time “to grieve privately and honor his memory together in quiet and in peace.”
She said the family will soon release details for public viewing “so that all who wish to pay their respects may have the opportunity to do so.”
Who is Juan Enrile?
Born Juanito Furagganan on February 14, 1924, in Gonzaga, Cagayan, he grew up in poverty and without his father’s name.
After serving against the Japanese in World War II, he met his father, former congressman Alfonso Ponce Enrile, and eventually took on the surname that would accompany him into power.
He worked his way into the country’s elite legal circles, graduating salutatorian and cum laude from the University of the Philippines College of Law in 1953 and passing the bar the same year.
His legal skill drew the attention of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.. When Marcos won the presidency in 1965, Enrile entered government and moved rapidly across strategic positions — finance undersecretary, Bureau of Customs chief, justice secretary.
Marcos later placed him at the helm of the defense department, where Enrile played a central role in crafting and implementing martial law from 1972 to 1981, cementing his place in one of the country’s darkest political periods.
In 1986, Enrile broke from the dictatorship he helped build and aligned with military officers who sparked the People Power Revolution.
He stayed briefly in President Corazon Aquino’s Cabinet as defense minister before their political rift pushed him out.
His political career resumed in Congress, where he repeatedly secured national office. He served four Senate terms — from 1987 to 1992, 1995 to 2001, and two consecutive terms from 2004 to 2016 — and held the Senate presidency from 2008 to 2013, presiding over the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona.
Between Senate stints, he represented Cagayan’s 1st District from 1992 to 1995 and mounted an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1992.
Controversy resurfaced in 2014 when prosecutors charged him with plunder and graft over the pork barrel scam. The Supreme Court granted him bail the following year for humanitarian reasons.
In late October 2025, courts cleared him of both plunder and graft charges. Despite the shifting political tides, Enrile continued returning to positions of influence.
In 2022, he took his oath before President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as chief presidential legal counsel — a full-circle moment that linked his early years under Marcos Sr. to his final public role under Marcos Jr.
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.