The surviving members of the expedition, unable to decide who should succeed Magellan, finally vote on a joint command with the leadership divided between Duarte Barbosa and João Serrão, brother or cousin to Francisco Serrão, who was residing in the Spice Islands when the voyage began and whom Magellan had hoped to meet (both have died before this could occur).

The Genoese pilot of the Magellan expedition, states—wrongly—in his eye-witness account that the Spaniards had no interpreter when they arrived back to Cebu, because Enrique had died on Mactan along with Magellan during the Battle of Mactan in 1521.

However, Enrique is very much alive on May 1, 1521.

Despite the manumission he was entitled to according to Magellan's will made before departure, either Duarte Barbosa or João Serrão had threatened to turn him slave to the widow of Magellan.

Enrique’s fear of this fate has since been considered an argument for him conspiring with rajah Humabon.

On May 1, 1521, all are invited by the rajah to a banquet ashore to receive a gift for the king of Spain.

Here is killed or poisoned, among many others, Duarte Barbosa.

Antonio Pigafetta writes that João Serrão, who was pleading with the crew from the shore to save him from the Cebuano tribesmen, said that all those who went to the banquet were slain, except for Enrique.

João Serrão is brought by natives who want to exchange him for weapons, but is left behind, being saved only the pilot João Lopes de Carvalho.

Enrique disappears.

A discourse by Giovanni Battista Ramusio claims that Enrique warned the Chief of Subuth that the Spaniards were plotting to capture the king and that this led to the murder of Serrão and others at the banquet.

The mission teetering on disaster, João Lopes de Carvalho takes command of the fleet; he will lead it on a meandering journey through the Philippine archipelago.