Enriles try to bury Alfie Anido case
MANILA, Philippines - In the “Johnny” documentary shown over ABS-CBN on the life of Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, his son and namesake admitted he was never close to his father growing up.
Cagayan 1st District Rep. Juan “Jack” Ponce Enrile Jr. remembered he only watched a movie twice with his father during his childhood years.
In fact, Jack had to bear the brunt carrying the name “Enrile” as his father’s reputation was also going down alongside that of the Marcoses during the anarchic years of Martial Law.
In that documentary, Jack remembers being beaten up and bullied by older boys in grade school simply because he was an Enrile. He went home with his uniform bloodied and his lips needing several stitches.
The effect of the name was never lost on young Jack. Towards the latter part of Martial Law, which also saw the falling out of then President Ferdinand Marcos with his then Defense Minister, Jack said he would again be unwittingly placed on the spotlight.
In his book “Juan Ponce Enrile: A Memoir”, the Senate President recalled: “The intrigues against me escalated. Even my children were not spared. For instance, when Alfie Anido killed himself in his home, my enemies in the Marcos regime spread the rumor that my son Jack shot and killed him.”
That angle was the Enriles’ own version. Up until now, the Alfie Anido case remains an urban legend deserving of a scandalous footnote on books regarding Martial Law.
The actor
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| Alfie Anido and Katrina Enrile. |
Alfie Anido became popular in the 1970s as a matinee idol who appeared in iconic movies such as Temptation Island and Katorse.
The flourishing career of Anido, tagged as one of the most handsome in the Filipino entertainment industry, ended in December 30, 1981, when he reportedly shot himself dead in his home in Bel-Air, Makati.
Showbiz online sites and movie fanatics remember until now that it was a mysterious death, considering he was well-loved by many women and fans. He was then seeing Katrina Enrile, who allegedly was the one so in love with him.
In his book, Enrile said Anido hurt his daughter during a jealous fit on the day of his birthday, December 30, 1981.
The young actor and Katrina were in Antipolo, Rizal for the celebration. Before his guests could arrive, however, Anido was already drinking heavily and fell asleep.
Katrina was forced to entertain the guests whom she did not know. A jealous Anido supposedly misconstrued the situation.
Later in the car back home to Makati, the couple had a big fight. There, Enrile said: “Alfie physically hit Katrina, and my daughter fought back.”
The fight continued until later in the day. Katrina tried calling Anido via telephone, only to be informed later of news that he “killed” himself.
Attack dogs
“After Katrina returned the following morning from Loyola Memorial Funeral Parlor to the house of Alfie, his father asked Katrina why there were two sets of investigators-one from the National Bureau of Investigation and the other from Malacanang,” Enrile said.
In the documentary, Katrina also questioned why Malacañang still sent a different set of investigators when authorities already ruled from the very beginning it was an apparent suicide.
Jack’s version
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| Jack Enrile |
Jack recalled answering to his younger sister’s distress call. In the documentary, he said he only tagged along with his father’s then chief security aide, Gringo Honasan, to go to Bel-Air.
Upon arriving, Jack noticed the place was really quiet. “The door was open, the lights were open. As I entered the property, I could hear a faint scream. As I was getting closer, the screams were getting louder. Katrina was wailing.”
He then saw the still face of Anido.
He said his alleged link to the supposed murder of Anido was created because “I was there. Even the family [of Anido] would say I had nothing to do with it.”
Enrile’s version
Enrile said he already knew exactly what happened.
In his book, Enrile said there was no doubt then that Jack’s supposed role was the handiwork of Fabian Ver. He said Ver then was already muddling Marcos’ mind, further straining Enrile's relationship with the family.
“No doubt, the only purpose of those who spread that false rumor was to besmirch my family and destroy my reputation rather than to solve a crime for there was no crime at all,” Enrile said in his memoir.
He added he gathered all the facts to his foes’ “embarrassment.”
Today, Jack said he is closer now to his father. “Mas nag-uusap na kami ngayong ako’y nasa 50s, and he is in his 80s.”
This father-and-son bond is more apparent with the younger one expected to continue the Enrile name in the years to come.
Enrile trooped today to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to accompany his son in the filing of his certificate of candidacy for the position of senator. Recent surveys showed the younger Enrile placing in the top 5.
Analysts, however, anchor this on the fact that the younger politician is carrying the name of “Juan Ponce Enrile.”
Meanwhile, the Alfie Anido case will remain a mystery in the years to come, only worthy of intrigues and rumors made for movies.
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"Juan Ponce Enrile, A Memoir," is published by ABS-CBN Publishing and is available in National Book Store branches nationwide.