Senator and former Marcos dictatorship defence minister Juan Ponce Enrile surrendered to Filipino police yesterday to answer a charge of corruption.

He is the most prominent of three top politicians to be accused in a government anti-corruption crackdown.

The senator is alleged to have received huge kickbacks from a fiddle that diverted millions of dollars from anti-poverty and development funds allotted to Congress members.

Mr Enrile was defence minister when late dictator Ferdinand Marcos placed the country under martial rule in 1972, the beginning of a 14-year dictatorship characterised by widespread human rights violations and corruption.

He broke off with president Marcos in 1986 when the writing was on the wall and hopped on board the “people power” bandwagon, helping to lead the revolt that ousted the dictator, his family and allies.

Mr Enrile was linked to several military rebellions against late president Corazon Aquino but continued to serve in government.