The people’s servant

“Pimentel’s story was different. He wanted full democracy back, staying to words uttered in the streets and at the rostrum. He held his commitment to participative democracy close to his chest.

It is hard to bid farewell to a huge political icon who, when he was living, refused to take kudos for his enormous contributions to Philippine democracy.

Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. brushed aside compliments like he did not deserve them. Only that he did, and maybe more left unsaid would have poured had he allowed believers to express them to his ears.

He listened only to the downtrodden, taking their fight where his body would suffer, but not his mind which stayed sharp until the big call to serve the people and country — fully when the oppressive barriers have been removed — came. And he did not disappoint.

Pimentel was among the very few opposition leaders who fought the devil right where the hellfire is. He did not cower when the challenges came.

He did not bother to leave the country when all the other big opposition figures have sought refuge in friendly countries. He played his game where the action is.

It was true that Ferdinand Marcos, the late dictator whom the opposition then took more than two decades to topple, had his eyes on Ninoy Aquino, his fraternity brother and main rival.

Their story was one of love and hate. It dealt with two men’s ambitions. Ninoy did not keep it a secret that he had wanted to succeed Marcos. The despot did not want to leave.

Pimentel’s story was different. He wanted full democracy back, staying to words uttered in the streets and at the rostrum. He held his commitment to participative democracy close to his chest.

He had his chance as a very young lawyer as an elected representative to the 1971 Constitutional Convention. But on 21 September 1972, Marcos declared martial law.

The Con-Con became Marcos’ rubberstamp. Pimentel and the other opposition figures raised their arms and voices against the strongman. In 1973, he was jailed for his political conviction.

In 1978, Pimentel joined Ninoy’s Laban to seek slots in the Batasang Pambansa. It was a tough battle for the group that included several politicians who soon rose to prominence — Monching Mitra, Teofisto Guingona, Ernesto Maceda and Neptali Gonzales. They were the mainstream opposition figures who lent their names to personalities associated with the Maoist Left whose inclusion in that ticket was to spark the great divide that would soon weaken the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army.

They were swept by Marcos’ Kilusang Bagong Lipunan. But their loss triggered a massive noise barrage that also reignited the people’s anger at the existing system.

When he had the chance, he saw the potential of Cory Aquino, Ninoy’s widow whom his Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (which merged with Ninoy’s Laban in 1983) made its standard bearer against Marcos for the 1986 snap elections.

It was not through the ballots that Cory ascended to power. A nearly-bloodless revolt by the military and police led by then Defense minister Juan Ponce Enrile and Philippine Constabulary chief Fidel Ramos toppled Marcos, who fled to and eventually died in Hawaii.

But she was the first president Pimentel helped shove to Malacañang.

Pimentel was Cory’s rock on which the country’s democratic institutions were rebuilt. He strengthened the local government units, earning for him the accolade of being the “Father of the Local Government Code.”

But it was not enough. Pimentel strongly pushed for Federalism. He saw hope in then Davao City mayor Rodrigo Roa Duterte, who shared his vision. Duterte became the second president Pimentel and the PDP have supported to Malacañang.

Pimentel was also instrumental in ousting yet another president in Erap Estrada. His narrative was different from that of Marcos, but the nation again decided to kick a leader out.

Pimentel never left the scene because he was needed as a voice and a rational mind. Up to his last moment, the country’s leaders listened to what he said.

His leaving on 21 October has left an enormous vacuum that our present set of politicians will never, ever fill.