Juan Ponce Enrile dies at 101; gov’t officials mourn

By Nash Villena, Philippine Canadian Inquirer

101 YEARS OLD. Former Senate President and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile peacefully passed away on Thursday (Nov. 13, 2025). (File photo from Juan Ponce Enrile/Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — Former Senate President and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile peacefully passed away on Thursday, November 13, her daughter Katrina Enrile confirmed.

In a Facebook post, Katrina wrote that her father died at 4:21 p.m., surrounded by their loved ones at their home.

“He dedicated much of his life to the service of the Filipino people. At this time, we humbly ask for the public’s understanding as our family takes a brief moment to grieve privately and honor his memory together in quiet and in peace,” Katrina said.

“On behalf of our family, I extend our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming love, prayers, and support we have received during this difficult time. Your kindness means more than words can express,” she added.

Details of the public viewing are set to be announced once the arrangements have been finalized by the Enrile family.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. extended his condolences to the bereaved family of his chief legal counsel and commemorated him for the decades of service he rendered to the Filipino people.

“We say goodbye to one of the most enduring and respected public servants our country has ever known. 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,” Marcos 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,” the president added.

Upon learning the news this afternoon, incumbent Senate President Tito Sotto, abiding by the upper chamber’s tradition, suspended the plenary deliberations of the P6.792-trillion 2026 General Appropriations Bill. 

Sotto expressed his sympathies to Enrile’s family, remembering his contributions to Philippine politics.

“He has dedicated his whole life, even until his last days, to public service, and we will remember him for his formidable intellect and compassion [for] the people,” Sotto said.

“As we mourn his passing, we find comfort in knowing that the legacy of Manong Johnny will always live on, etched within the walls of this institution that he loved, and his service to the nation will forever be etched in the hearts of many Filipinos,” he said.

Sotto also said the Senate is prepared to conduct a necrological service as a tribute to the passing of Enrile.

“‘Yong tradisyon kasi, we leave it to the family, kung ano ang gusto nila, baka gusto nila necrological service, usually we will offer at the Senate,” he told the press.

(According to tradition, we will leave it to the family, whether they want to conduct a necrological service; nevertheless, we are ready to offer it at the Senate.)

Enrile served the upper chamber for three terms and was elected as the 21st Senate President of the Philippines from 2008 to 2013.

Among other key government positions Enrile held in his decades-long tenure in public office include Secretary of National Defense under the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr. from the 1970s until the 1980s, which ended after he eventually joined the EDSA People Power Revolution in February 1986.