What went before: The Rise and Fall of Enrile

WHAT, NO MUG SHOTS? After having his mug shots taken, Enrile is led to the PNP hospital inside Camp Crame where police officials said they would not release the photos to the public at his family’s request. LEO SABANGAN II

In February 1990, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile was charged with “rebellion complexed with murder” for his alleged participation in the deadliest military coup against President Corazon Aquino in December 1989.

He surrendered to National Bureau of Investigation agents outside the Senate building shortly after delivering a speech in which he said his arrest “would pave the way for renewed tyranny in the country.”

Then Senate President Jovito Salonga had barred NBI agents from serving the warrant while a Senate session was in progress, instructing Senate security to bar them from entering the building. Then NBI Director Alfredo Lim had gone to Salonga’s office with an arrest warrant issued by a Quezon City court earlier that afternoon, but Salonga objected to the serving of the warrant in the Senate premises.

Enrile was taken to the NBI office where he was booked and fingerprinted.

After spending a night at the NBI, Enrile was transferred to Camp Karingal in Quezon City, where he was detained despite requests made by four fellow senators that Enrile be released in the  custody of the Senate .

He was allowed to post bail by the Supreme Court a week later. The court invalidated the rebellion charges against him in June the same year.

Rebellion twice over

In May 2001, Enrile was charged with rebellion again, this time in connection with an alleged coup plot against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Enrile was arrested for allegedly masterminding the violent siege of Malacañang on May 1 by demonstrators loyal to deposed President Joseph Estrada.

He was arrested in his house in Dasmariñas Village, Makati City, by authorities led by Senior Supt. Reynaldo Berroya, then chief of the Philippine National Police Intelligence Group.

He was taken to Camp Crame accompanied by his family.

A few days after the arrest, the high tribunal ordered the PNP to release Enrile upon his posting of interim bail of P100, 000 with the clerk of court.

Government prosecutors opposed bail on the grounds that rebellion was a capital offense, but the high court ruled that the evidence presented against Enrile amounted to hearsay. Inquirer Research

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