“Senator Nene kept us grounded and vigilant lest the gains painstakingly won would be frittered away, that the voices of the common tao remain silenced, or worse, ignored.

Last 20 October 2019, for the millions of Muslims in the country, the sun had set early.

A leader, born and nurtured in Mindanao, has been lost to us. While our grief cannot possibly compare to the sorrow of his family, we Muslims feel the loss deeply for Senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. had always been a trusted champion, a staunch ally.

We reflect the sentiment of a grieving Muslim umma, in the region of autonomy which Senator Nene had tirelessly worked to establish, in the diaspora which, like the rest of the population, drew Senator Nene’s attention and concern.

Like moths to a flame, he gathered young Muslims whom he nurtured and mentored on the inestimable value of public service, of integrity, of incorruptibility. We can only hope his ideals guide them on their own paths toward strengthening the governance for the people of the Bangsamoro.

We recollect, with awe, tales of the perilous path he had to traverse as a human rights lawyer, taking the cudgels for the impoverished peasant, the urban poor, the manual laborer. For defending the vulnerable and raising his voice against the injustices, Sen. Nene was incarcerated, ousted from office and imprisoned yet again.

For those of us who trod the streets in protest over the abusive martial law regime, we gained strength from Senator Nene’s indomitable spirit. And while we were caught in the heady aftermath of the People Power revolution, Senator Nene kept us grounded and vigilant lest the gains painstakingly won would be frittered away, that the voices of the common tao remain silenced, or worse, ignored.

Not an absentee legislator nor a sycophant pandering to the rich and the powerful, Senator Nene stayed true to the constituencies he served. His aspiration for a just and equitable society continued even as he morphed into Citizen Nene, campaigning for a stronger autonomy of local governments, including the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the Cordilleras.

We remember Senator Nene as a man of the people, resolute in his convictions, fierce in his advocacies, steadfast in his loyalties, humble in his great achievements, yet genteel in the face of opposition. Even to those who drew his ire, Senator Nene treated with humor and civility. It is this humility, this gentility, this innate kindness that sets him far above the others.

We see him as Tatay Nene, a devoted husband, a caring father and a doting grandfather. To his family, we express our gratitude for sharing Tatay Nene and for not begrudging the time spent with us probably at your expense, precious hours that he generously gave to the numerous constituencies that he had committed to serve — the marginalized and vulnerable sectors of our country. His generosity of spirit, we see burning brightly in his children who have made their marks in their respective fields of endeavor — Senator Koko, Commissioner Gwen, Dr. Jack, Terry Lou, Indeh and Lorraine.

Paalam na po, Tatay Nene. Those of us who have been privileged to have crossed your path, even for a brief moment, have come away invigorated with your passion for a truly just society.

Tatay Nene, you shall always be the eternal sunshine for all of us.