Enrile on defending Imee: I can't turn my back on Marcos family

Even though he played a big role in the uprising that toppled the regime of late President Ferdinand Marcos, former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Wednesday said he could not turn his back on the Marcos family.

"Hindi ko naman matatalikuran 'yung pamilya ng dating Presidente Marcos na kung saan ako'y kasama nila sa loob ng 20 taon," Enrile said in an interview on News To Go, in explaining why he agreed to serve as counsel for Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos during a congressional hearing on Tuesday.

Gov. Marcos, the late president's daughter, was to face an inquiry into the provincial government's alleged illegal use of its share of tobacco excise taxes.

"Ako'y tinawagan ni Imee upang samahan siya doon sa hearing sapagka't nangangamba siya na siya ay ikukulong," said Enrile, who served as defense minister during the elder Marcos' administration.

Enrile said he owes his political career to the elder Marcos.

"Ako naman, bilang abogado, at bilang kasama ng kanyang tatay sa loob ng 20 taon sa gobyerno, bilang pagpapasalamat naman sa kanila sa pagbibigay naman sa akin ng pagkakataon na mag-serbisyo sa bayan," he said.

Enrile, meanwhile, said the issues being leveled against Gov. Marcos were "vague" and "debatable" as he urged both parties to closely scrutinize the circumstances behind the alleged anomaly.

"May batayan si Imee, may batayan din naman si Rudy [Fariñas, House majority leader], so medyo mahirap husgahan 'yan," he said. "Bilang abogado, sinasabi ko na na mahihirapan ang magkabilang 'yan." —Margaret Claire Layug/KBK/KVD, GMA News