IT is hard to imagine the government — and by extension, Philippine society — without JPE.
Atty. Juan Ponce Enrile turns 100 years old today, February 14. Only a few Filipinos can claim to be living — and living sanely and productively — at the “overripe” old age of a century. Tomorrow, Enrile who holds the position of Chief Presidential Legal Counsel in the President Bongbong Marcos Cabinet, will start his second century of existence.
JPE was born in the year when the Philippine Islands were on the brink of complete self-rule, and perhaps, independence, under American governor general Leonard Wood. He was 11 years old when President Manuel Luis Quezon was inaugurated as the first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippine Islands.
Enrile, who started late in formal education (he entered Grade 1 at the age of 10), became an epitome of how a disadvantaged rural boy can be a beneficiary of the best opportunities education can offer. His long service to the government in various positions in the executive and legislative departments is testament to how education –from primary to post-graduate — can propel an individual to the peak of power and success.
‘In a recent TV interview, Enrile said, “You live as long as I have, you see heroes turning to villains and then to heroes again.”’
JPE earned his Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines in 1953, graduating cum laude and salutatorian. He became a lawyer the next year, and ranked No. 11 among the successful Bar examinees with a rating of 91.72%. He made a perfect score of 100% in Commercial Law. He took post-graduate studies at the Harvard Law School where he obtained his Master of Laws degree in 1955, specializing in taxation and corporate reorganization.
He practiced law for 12 years from 1954 to 1966 as a partner at the Ponce Enrile, Siguion Reyna, Montecillo, Belo and Ongsiako Law Offices. He also served as a professor of Law at the Far Eastern University.
This professional experience, not to mention his expertise in taxation, insurance and commercial law, made Enrile ripe for government service. In January 1966, he was appointed finance undersecretary, followed by various jobs such as director of the Philippine National Bank, acting head of the Insurance Commission, acting Customs commissioner, acting secretary of Finance and Central Bank governor, then later as defense secretary.
His official biographical sketch in the Senate website touted Enrile’s role in the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution which restored democracy to the nation. No word was written, however, about his role as architect of martial law in the then-hated Marcos dictatorship, or his fake ambush that started that regime.
Enrile was elected to the Senate for two terms beginning in 1987, then in 1995, reaching the pinnacle of his government career as Senate President. Many best remember him for refining the process of computing electrical charges to make the industry more efficient and to prevent households from being charged with inordinately high electric bills.
For this reason, the senator was very vocal in his criticism of the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). When the bill was submitted for voting, he cast the lone dissenting vote. He was also remembered as presiding over the impeachment trial of a sitting chief justice, Renato Corona.
In a recent TV interview, Enrile said, “You live as long as I have, you see heroes turning to villains and then to heroes again.” He was referring to the long political journey of the Marcos family, starting with President Ferdinand E. Marcos to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. whose cabinets he both served. It will take years before any Filipino could do that feat again.
