Enrile, Roxas eye Senate return
Two years after announcing his retirement from public service, former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile will seek a comeback in the Senate.
The 94-year-old veteran lawmaker filed his certificate of candidacy through his lawyer Joseph Sagandoy on Tuesday afternoon.
In August 2015, the Supreme Court allowed Enrile to post bail for P1.45 million. He is facing plunder and graft charges for his alleged involvement in the multi-million peso pork barrel scam.
In his bail petition, Enrile asked the court to consider his advanced age and voluntary surrender. A week after posting bail, the former senator returned to work at the Senate.
He announced his retirement in June 2016 during a privilege speech.
Prior to being a senator, Enrile served as acting Secretary of Finance from 1966 to 1968, Secretary of Justice from 1968 to 1970, and Minister of National Defense from 1972 to 1986.
Former senator and Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas also filed his COC yesterday for a Senate comeback. The former Liberal Party president and standardbearer withdrew from most public engagements after losing to President Rodrigo Duterte in the 2016 national polls. But he said he has moved on since then.
"Well, unang-una ako naka-move on na ako. Kaya naging mahirap itong desisyon na ito ay dahil hindi basta-bastang parang patuloy lang. Ito yung gawain ko kahapon, ito yung gawain ko itong lingong, ito yung gagawin ko next week. E talagang lumabas na ako ng arena," he said.
He added that he had difficulty in deciding if he would return in the arena of public service.
"Masarap ang buhay ng retirado. Feeling ko tulad ng sinabi ko beterano na ako, nagsilbi na ako sa World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War. Pero palagay ko, kung mayroon mga mananakop na pumasok dito sa bansa natin kahit beterano na ako lalaban pa rin ako," he said.
"Di pa tapos ang trabaho, may mga problema pa. May mga maitutulong ka pa. Kaya sinabi ko na kung pakiwari ng mga kababayan natin na makakatulong pa ako handa ako," Roxas said.
Roxas placed in the 11-17 bracket in the presenatorial election survey released by Pulse Asia last month. He served in the Senate from 2004 to 2010.
Before ending his speech he repeated what he said on Monday when he announced his bid to run: "I have no quit in me..."
"... and I'm not going to quit on our country," he said.