Senate suspends session until Nov 17 to mourn ex-Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile

The Senate session was suspended until 1 p.m. on November 17 to mourn the passing of former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile.

Enrile's death was announced on Thursday evening by his daughter, Katrina Ponce Enrile, while the Senate was in session.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri moved to suspend the session, adhering to the chamber's tradition of honoring deceased colleagues.

The suspension specifically halted the plenary deliberations on the 2026 General Appropriations Bill (GAB).

Senate President Vicente Sotto III stated that tradition dictates the suspension and remembered Enrile as a dedicated public servant.

Zubiri described Enrile as a 'towering legal mind' and 'longtime public servant' whose intellect shaped national history.

Agency heads present for the budget debates will be invited again when deliberations resume on Monday.