‘Nene,’ 1933-2019

From Cory Aquino to Rodrigo Duterte, the late Senate President and political giant Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. was the beacon that linked more than three decades of post-Ferdinand Marcos leadership.

As the main pillar of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP), Pimentel sent two presidents to Malacañang at times when the country needed changes.

Pimentel fought the Marcos dictatorship with the zeal unseen from those who reaped his battles’ rewards, and that included the late President Cory Aquino, whom Nene made the PDP’s standard bearer against Marcos in the 7 February 1986 snap presidential election.

The country was crying for change then. And Pimentel, along with other opposition figures, formed a cohesive alliance to challenge Marcos and made Cory their front.

Cory lost in the Comelec count, but a military coup d’êtat led by then Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile and former Philippine Constabulary Chief Fidel Ramos — who would later succeed Aquino to the presidency — emboldened civil society to mass up at EDSA in support of the two former Marcos officials.

Cory then formed a revolutionary government, but it was Pimentel who did all the important work of restructuring the local government units and their leadership to give the new president a strong start.

Pimentel had shaped the country’s democratic institutions and for it, he is honored as the “Father of the Local Government Code.”

Three decades after, as the country was again crying for changes following years of poor leadership and stagnation, Pimentel rose again to support then Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte, whose rise to the presidency was nothing short of phenomenal.

Two presidents, coming at times when the country needed them, were the greatest contributions Pimentel did in between his various roles in government, from being Local Government secretary to being the Senate’s leader, aside from maintaining a balanced family life, which produced a Bar topnotcher and a Senate president after him.

Pimentel was also instrumental in the ouster of two presidents — the late strongman Marcos in 1986, and Joseph Estrada in 2001.

With his demise, the country has lost one of the biggest voices in Philippine politics.

His political ascent was never easy. Like all leading members of the Marcos opposition, Pimentel endured political pressure and persecution. He was jailed at least twice for his convictions.

With the support of local government leaders, he never lost a bid for a Senate seat.

He is often dubbed as “the best vice president the country never had.” But Pimentel failed in his bid to clinch the second highest post in 1992, beaten by the charismatic occasional actor Joseph Ejercito Estrada, whom Pimentel — as Senate president — helped oust on charges of plunder.

He was a founding leader of the PDP, the current ruling political party.

He personally took in Mr. Duterte in 2001 when he ran for Davao City mayor.

Under Pimentel’s leadership, PDP worked on the basic principles of theism, authentic humanism, democratic central socialism and consultative leadership.

Both Pimentel and Duterte are believers of Federalism.

PIMENTEL: Among the biggest voices in Philippine politics.

Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go described Pimentel as a “staunch ally” of the President.

In fact, Pimentel’s last government task was when he was tapped in January 2018 by Mr. Duterte for the Consultative Committee that crafted a federal constitution.

“Tatay Nene, as he is fondly called, was a fellow Mindanaoan and a staunch ally in fighting for advocacies he shared with Tatay Digong even before President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration and until now,” Go said.

“As one of the pillars of PDP, we are eternally grateful for his wisdom and support for this administration, especially during the 2016 and 2019 elections,” he added.

The senator acknowledged Pimentel was a visionary leader and hardworking legislator.

Acknowledged as the father of local autonomy, he championed the cause of local governance and enormously contributed in shaping what local government units possess now,” Go added.

The Local Government Code of 1991 is a testament to his remarkable contributions.

“His death may leave us with a sad void and profound loss to his family and to our country he cared so much about. But his legacy shall forever be remembered and shall always guide us in shaping the destiny of our people,” he added.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, for his part, cited Pimentel’s unblemished track record as a public servant.

“Our people thank former senator Pimentel for his long, fearless and principled track record of public service. He would forever be etched in our history as a giant among his peers who championed democracy and electoral reform, and a visionary who espoused devolution of powers and strong local governance,” Panelo said.

As “Father of the Local Government Code,” Pimentel gave his wisdom and lent his voice to the need to empower local governments, he added.

“The Duterte administration is grateful for the elder Pimentel for joining the current government in his capacity as one of the members of the Consultative Committee tasked by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte to review the 1987 Constitution and draft a new charter that would pave the way for a federal form of government,” the official said.

“As we pay tribute and honor to this respected and courageous statesman, we fervently pray for the Almighty to grant Senator Nene eternal repose. May the perpetual light shine upon him,” he added.

Immediately after his retirement in politics, Pimentel handed the PDP leadership to his son and namesake Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III and acted as chairman emeritus.

In a message sent to reporters, the younger Pimentel announced that his father died just as the sun was to rise at 5 in the morning on Sunday.

“Our beloved Tatay Nene has joined his Creator at 5 a.m. today 20 October 2019. We thank all those who have been a part of his life. We ask for prayers for the repose of Tatay Nene’s soul. Thank you to all,” the lawmaker said.

Incumbent senators, many of whom worked with Pimentel either in the Senate or in other government functions, cited the elder Pimentel’s contribution to the country.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III recognized Pimentel as his “idol” and “mentor.”

“My family and I bereave this very sad news. I feel like I lost a close relative and not just a friend. I was his majority leader when he was Senate president and we were very close. He was my idol!”

“My six years with him from 1998 to 2004 were very educational for me, not only in politics but also on family matters. My family and I loved him!” he added.

Sen. Richard Gordon said that, as a statesman, Pimentel had a wide breadth of experience in the Executive and Legislative branches of government.

“He was committed to whatever causes he chose to advocate in his lifetime and persevered in pursuing them,” Gordon said.

“Through his years as delegate of the Constitutional Convention, mayor, assemblyman, senator, and Senate president, he was a dedicated public servant, and even in retirement, continued to express his views on issues that mattered to him and that he believed were in the public interest. Rest in peace, Senator Nene Pimentel,” he added.

Senators Juan Miguel Zubiri, Win Gatchalian, Francis Pangilinan, Panfilo Lacson and Sonny Angara also expressed their sympathies to the Pimentel family.

“Never the bullhorn of the powerful, he instead lent his big voice to the small people. That has been the story of his life — an advocate for the down and out, a champion of the powerless and the persecuted,” Angara said.

Zubiri said: “I’m honored to have had the opportunity to work with him in the 14th Congress and even if we had some differences then, he still treated me professionally and mentored me on the issues of human rights and above all the Rule of Law. As a Mindanaoan, I am truly saddened by this development. May God bless his soul.”

Pimentel was born in Cagayan de Oro City in Mindanao and was first known in the political landscape when he was chosen as a delegate of the 1971 Constitutional Convention (ConCon) representing Misamis Oriental.

However, the declaration of Martial Law in 1972 pushed Pimentel and fellow ConCon delegates to oppose a Constitution presented by Marcos.

In 1973, he was arrested for his strong opposition against certain provisions of the proposed Constitution and was detained for three months at Camp Crame.

During the signing of the Constitution, he was released from prison but he refused to register his signature on the document.

He ran for a seat in the Interim Batasan Pambansa as an official candidate of LABAN with former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. They were swept by the pro-Marcos party Kilusan ng Bagong Lipunan, triggering a widespread night rally in Metro Manila — the first action to challenge Marcos’ martial law.

Pimentel, along with other members of the opposition in senators Lorenzo Tañada, Soc Rodrigo and Teofisto Guingona, and Fr. Archie Intengan SJ and Chino Roces, decried the massive cheating that caused his incarceration in Camp Bicutan for two months.

He faced more false charges and arrests during his tenure as Cagayan de Oro mayor in 1980 until 1983, as Pimentel challenged the Commission on Elections and his political rivals placed by Marcos.

After the assassination of Aquino in August 1983, Pimentel won a seat in the Batasang Pambansa but was eventually kicked out by Marcos for alleged cheating.

Pimentel was the deadliest thorn who pricked his sides and brought him down.