MANILA — Former senator and current Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile remains in the intensive care unit (ICU) battling pneumonia, his daughter confirmed on Wednesday, dispelling widespread rumors that the 103-year-old statesman had passed away.
“He is under the dedicated care of his attending physicians and medical staff who are providing him with the best possible treatment and attention,” said his daughter, Katrina Enrile, in an official statement posted on Instagram.
The younger Enrile appealed for understanding as their family endures a difficult period. “We are deeply grateful for the concern, prayers, and support extended to our family during this time. Thank you very much,” she added.
The clarification came after Senator Jinggoy Estrada told colleagues during Tuesday’s plenary session that, citing a “very reliable source,” Enrile was in critical condition with “slim chances of surviving.”
Katrina earlier admitted in a television interview that her father “isn’t doing too good.”
Enrile, one of the country’s most prominent political figures whose career spans decades from martial law to the Marcos Jr. administration, continues to serve as the president’s Chief Presidential Legal Counsel./PN
