November 13, 2025 | 7:18pm
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. paid tribute to his chief legal counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, saying the death of the 101-year-old public official marked the end of a chapter in Philippine history.
Enrile died on Thursday afternoon, November 13, after a bout with pneumonia. The official cause of death has yet to be disclosed.
In a statement, Marcos praised Enrile’s long career and influence on governance and national policy.
“For over 50 years, Juan Ponce Enrile dedicated his life to serving the Filipino people, helping guide the country through some of its most challenging and defining moments. Even in his final years, he remained brilliant, sharp, and firm in his belief that law and governance must always serve the Filipino people,” he said.
“His passing marks the close of a chapter in our nation’s history. But the mark he leaves behind in law, in governance, and in the hearts of those he served will never be forgotten.”
A figure central to the Marcos era
Enrile’s political story is deeply intertwined with the Marcos family.
He was a trusted aide to the late president Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and played a central role in enforcing Martial Law — a period widely regarded as one of the darkest in the country’s history. He served Marcos Sr’s defense minister for more than a decade, helping solidify Marcos Sr.’s strongman rule.
As popular dissent swelled in the mid-1980s, Enrile and then–Philippine Constabulary chief Fidel Ramos broke away from Marcos Sr. in an attempted uprising, unintentionally triggering the chain of events that culminated in the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution.
Historical accounts note that it was Enrile who sought help from Cardinal Jaime Sin when forces loyal to Marcos Sr. began closing in on him and Ramos. Sin’s call over Radio Veritas mobilized crowds to EDSA and helped end the dictatorship.
From ouster to return to the Palace. The Marcos family lived in exile in Hawaii for decades after their ouster. Their political rehabilitation was gradual but steady, culminating in Marcos Jr.’s election to the presidency in 2022.
Despite Enrile’s role in the downfall of his father, Marcos Jr. welcomed him back to government, appointing him as chief presidential legal counsel.
Enrile’s political rise began under a Marcos, and he would ultimately die while serving another.