Angara pays tribute to Enrile: 'A brilliant lawyer, lawmaker'
DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara (right) honors the late Juan Ponce Enrile, calling him a brilliant lawyer and lawmaker with deep expertise in law, finance, and defense. (Photo from Sonny Angara / Facebook)
Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Sonny Angara on Thursday, November 13, paid tribute to the late former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, describing him as a “brilliant lawyer and lawmaker” whose deep understanding of finance, taxation, national defense, and constitutional law left a lasting mark on Philippine governance.
In a statement, Angara extended his condolences to Enrile’s bereaved family. “Nakikiramay po kami sa kanyang iniwang pamilya (We extend our condolences to the family he left behind),” he said.
Angara described Enrile as a “brilliant lawyer and lawmaker—well-versed in finance, taxation, national defense, and constitutional law.”
The DepEd chief also recalled Enrile’s close friendship with his late father, former Senate President Edgardo Angara, noting their shared dream of building a Pacific coastal highway to connect Cagayan, northern Luzon, Isabela, Aurora, and Quezon.
“Malapit siya sa aking yumaong ama (He was close to my late father),” Angara said. “Pangarap sana nila noon na mapagdugtong ang Cagayan sa hilagang Luzon papuntang Isabela, Aurora, at Quezon para magkaroon ng isang Pacific coastal highway sa silangang Luzon (Back then, it was their dream to connect Cagayan in northern Luzon to Isabela, Aurora, and Quezon to create a Pacific coastal highway along eastern Luzon),” he added.
Enrile, who had been serving as chief legal counsel to President Marcos, died on November 13 at the age of 101.
Serving in various key government positions across decades, Enrile’s long and storied career spanned multiple administrations and historic events that shaped the nation’s political landscape.
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