Jack Enrile on dad's life: It's a ‘roller coaster’

Senator Juan Ponce Enrile's surrender in Camp Crame on Friday is just another chapter in the "roller coaster" life of one of the country's most powerful people, his son, former Cagayan Representative Jack Enrile said.

“'Yung mga high points na pinaguusapan ng nakakarami, 'yun po ay high points. Pero kung ite-trace niyo talaga 'yung buhay ng aking father, palagi kong sinasabi na parang roller coaster yan. May panahon na nasa taas siya, may panahon na nasa baba siya. Ganun talaga ang daloy ng kanyang buhay,” Enrile said in an interview on "State of the Nation with Jessica Soho" aired Friday evening.



The elder Enrile was a central figure during the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos and in the People Power revolution that ousted him. He also served as Senate president from late 2008 to June 2013.

But Enrile has also been imprisoned before. He was arrested in 1991 for his alleged involvement in a coup against President Corazon Aquino and in 2001 after the so-called Edsa Tres event, where supporters of ousted President Joseph Ejercito Estrada tried to storm Malacañang.

He surrendered on Friday after the Sandiganbayan found probable cause to proceed with the plunder case against the aging senator in relation to his alleged involvement in the pork barrel scam and issued a warrant for his arrest.

According to the younger Enrile, their family is trying to cope with the situation.

“We're taking it as best as we can. Pang apat na po siyang [beses] nakukulong. Once during the war, kinulong po siya ng 90 days ng mga Hapon. And then twice during the last 20 years at ngayon ulit po,” former congressman Enrile recalled.

“Nakakalungkot lang na in the twillight of his years ito ang nangyari sa kanya,” he said.

Enrile and his co-accused are alleged to have amassed P172.8 million in kickbacks from 2004 to 2010 through the scam, where Priority Development Assistance Fund allocations were supposedly funelled to questionable non-government organizations.

Enrile said that prior to his father's arrest, they were able to talk privately about the alleged kickbacks his father was being accused of pocketing from his 'pork' budget.

“I did [ask] at dineny niya sa akin. Wala daw siyang ninakaw na halagang maski piso daw po,” Enrile revealed.

Senator Enrile is currently confined at the Philippine National Police General Hospital after his blood pressure shot up during booking procedures.

The younger Enrile said his father was suffering from reactive hypertension and macular degeneration, which causes deteriorating vision.

“Lahi po namin yan... Nangangailangan po yan ng constant medical attention at paminsan sa isang linggo, sa dalawang linggo ay kailangan siyang mag-inject sa mata at may protocol na na sinusundan ang mga doktor,” he said.

As for the senator's next legal moves, he said they've already prepared for the case.

“Pinagaralan nila yung charges against him at naniniwala sila na base sa ebidensiya na maa-acquit si senador provided magiging fair din po ang hukuman,” Enrile said.

Even after the arrest, he is hopeful that his father will regain his honor and prestige and return home one day.

“Kami sa pamilya kung ano man ang mangyari ang hinihiling lang namin ang kanyang kaligtasan, ang kanyang kapayapaan at sana darating ang isang araw na makikita namin muli siya sa aming bahay,” he said. — Andrei Medina/JDS, GMA News