The durable and still stronger former Senate President Juan
Ponce Enrile still has it.
A senatorial hopeful this coming May 2019, he is out to
defy father time as he seeks again a seat in the Senate at a ripe age of 90
something.
Answering a question about his record-breaking political career,
Enrile replied that he had served in many
government functions “from ’66 to 2016.”
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| Former Senator Juan Ponce Enrile (photo credit to PDI) |
“I’m still mobile, still fairly
lucid,” he said when questioned about his age, even as he quickly fielded
numerous questions during the episode, particularly about President Duterte’s
performance thus far.
He bares to the media panel of political bloggers in the
recent episode “Misconsensus: The Politics of Things,” included in the
interview are the following, include Atty. Trixie
Cruz-Angeles, Dr. Ethel Pineda, Atty. Darwin
Cañete, and Mark Lopez.
When asked what policies major ones that President Duterte
he fully agrees with, Enrile gave his top three.
These include imposing martial law in Mindanao as a response to the Marawi conflict. In his view, martial law is provided for in the Constitution as a tool to be used “by any president at any time to maintain peace and order.”
Marawi conflict
These include imposing martial law in Mindanao as a response to the Marawi conflict. In his view, martial law is provided for in the Constitution as a tool to be used “by any president at any time to maintain peace and order.”
Marawi conflict
”I respect the judgment of the
President. We have to guard against the Islamist radicals of Saudi Arabia who
establish religious schools or madrassas in Mindanao,” Enrile warned. “Saudi
Arabia practices the most puritanical form of Islam, or Wahhabism. We now have
very radical philosophers and teachers of Jihadism here; the same problem
exists in Europe and in the US. It will be a long campaign to eradicate them.”
“What is the oath of the President?” he asked the bloggers. “It is to protect and defend the Constitution, to execute the laws of the land.”
“What is the oath of the President?” he asked the bloggers. “It is to protect and defend the Constitution, to execute the laws of the land.”
Enrile emphasized that this was
exactly what President Rodrigo Duterte was doing in dealing with different
national issues plaguing the country.
One of which is the imposition of Martial Law in Mindanao as provided by the Constitution, this was the response of the President to addressed the Marawi conflict. The former Senate President explains that martial law as provided by our Constitution as a tool to be used “by any president at any time to maintain peace and order.”
“It’s either we believe in the system [of government] or
not. If we believe in democracy, we have to accept the process,” he added.
“Here is a guy [Duterte] willing to be antagonized and maligned as he enforces
the law. Most other presidents would just play ball.”
Territorial dispute with China
& role of ASEAN
Enrile is in total agreement with Duterte as to the
dealings with China pertaining to the South China Sea/ West Philippine Sea, as
well as his coordination efforts with other ASEAN members regarding the
dispute.
Duterte was very much at the forefront in the “ASEAN Plus One” strategy in refining the region’s larger relationship with China.
Duterte was very much at the forefront in the “ASEAN Plus One” strategy in refining the region’s larger relationship with China.
Former Senate President Enrile explains his position on the
Chinese incursions on the West Philippine Sea.
We do have a right to the territory guaranteed by the UN
and the International Arbiter Body,” he said. But he questioned the
Philippines’ “capacity in enforcing that right.”
“We have two options — raise an
army or negotiate,” Enrile said.
He questioned the feasibility of
the first option because it would “cost us money and lives.”
Instead, he offered a better
option – that is, to negotiate.
“They [China] are willing to talk to us. We could jointly
explore the area for resources,” he said. “There are always stronger and weaker
nations. Unfortunately, we presently belong to the second group.”
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