Here’s the biography of Juan Ponce Enrile, one of the architects of martial law.
JUAN PONCE ENRILE BIOGRAPHY – The Philippines’ chief presidential legal counsel has died, and here’s a look back at his long life.
Katrina Ponce Enrile, through a statement, confirmed that his father, Juan Ponce Enrile, died. After a few days of being in the ICU due to pneumonia, Enrile died at the age of 101. Senator Jinggoy Estrada was the first to reveal his condition, and added that Enrile has a slim chance of surviving.
For many generations, he will be known as one of the architects of Ferdinand Marcos Sr.’s 20-year dictatorship. He was the late dictator’s defense minister and martial law administrator.
Enrile’s life that outlived regimes
He was born on February 14, 1924, to Petra Furagganan and Alfonso Enrile, a prominent politician in Manila. However, based on Ramon Tulfo’s information, Enrile was 103 based on the documents retrieved from the Aglipayan church in Cagayan, which indicated he was born on June 22, 1922.
In 1949, he earned his degree in Associate in Arts from Ateneo de Manila University, graduating cum laude. In 1953, he earned his Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines, graduating as cum laude and as salutatorian.
He then completed his Master of Laws Specialized Training in International Tax at Harvard University in Boston, United States. In 1957, he married Cristina Castañer, and they were blessed with two children, namely Katrina and Jack.
Enrile was a protégé of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. He first served as the commissioner of the Bureau of Customs from 1966 to 1968. Then, he became justice secretary from 1968 to 1970 and defense secretary from 1972 to 1986.
As the defense chief, his position played a vital role in implementing martial law. Later on, he withdrew and became a central figure in the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution, a movement that ousted the dictator.
In the following year, he became a senator and served as the lone minority until 1992. From 1992 to 1995, he became a member of the House of Representatives. After spending one term in the House, he returned to the Senate and served from 1995 to 2001.
In November 2008, he was elected as the Senate President, which lasted until 2013. He resigned amid a public dispute over alleged additional budget allocations and “Christmas bonuses” for allies.
Enrile’s popularity took a downturn following the 2013 pork barrel scam. He was accused of channeling ₱172 million of his pork barrel funds to dubious non-government organizations in exchange for kickbacks.
In July 2014, he was detained, but was later released on bail by the Supreme Court in August 2015 on humanitarian grounds. In 2019, he tried to return to the Senate but failed.
In 2022, Enrile came back to public service as the chief presidential legal counsel under President Bongbong Marcos, and in October 2025, the Sandiganbayan acquitted him of his remaining graft charges.
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