JPE outlines the top 3 defining characteristics of the Duterte presidency

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.”

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

”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.”

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.

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.”

 Enrile adds: “Even if we win, it could cost us ruin.”

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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Report from Phil Daily Inquirer