By Marjaleen Ramos and Allysa Nievera
Democracy stalwart and former Senate president Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., passed away Sunday morning, he was 85. The statesman lived a life in defense of democracy and the people. Here’s a brief of a life lived for the Filipinos.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
December 11, 1933- Aquillino “Nene” Quilinging Pimentel Jr. is born to Aquilino "Aqui" E. Pimentel Sr. and Petra Quilinging from Cagayan De Oro, Misamis Oriental.
1959- Earned his law degree at Ateneo de Cagayan (now Xavier University) and passed the Bar exam on the same year.
1960- married Lourdes “Bing” de la Llana and had six children, Senator Aquillino Martin “Koko” III, Human Rights Commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel- Gana, Ma. Petrina, Aquilino Justinian IV, Teresa Lourdes and Lorraine Marie.
1971- Elected as delegate to the Constitutional Convention representing Misamis Oriental.
1973- Pimentel protested certain provisions and opposed former President Ferdinand Marcos; arrested and jailed for three months at Camp Crame.
- got out of jail in time for the signing of the Marcos constitution; refused to sign along with other fellow delegates.
-served as lawyer of the National Secretariat for Social Action of the Catholic Bishops Conference to help people who are oppressed during the Martial Law period.
April 1978- Ran for the Batasan Pambansa as official candidate of the Lakas ng Bayan (Laban) party of Metro Manila along with Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino.
- Jailed for two months in Camp Bicutan for protesting defeat of all of the opposition candidates and denounced massive cheating.
1979- Switched to National Union of Democracy and Freedom
1980- Won as Mayor of Cagayan De Oro against the Marcos’ party.
1981- Pimentel was ousted as Mayor for “Political turncoatism”
1983- Pimentel was arrested on charges of rebellion and was detained for the third time for allegedly giving P100 to a rebel leader while he was in Cebu City.
1987-1992 - He won his first Senate race.
As Senator, he authored and sponsored several key pieces of legislation such as the Local Government Code of 1991, the Cooperative Code, the Philippine Sports Commission Act, the Act Creating the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and the People’s Small-Scale Mining Act.
He also authored and co-sponsored the Generic Drugs Act and the Act Establishing the Philippine National Police under a reorganized Department of Interior and Local Government.
1991- Pimentel was among the "Magnificent 12" senators who voted against the extension of the PH-US Bases Treaty.
1992- He lost bid for the vice presidency when he stood as Jovito Salonga’s running mate.
1995- Pimentel was defeated in the national elections after running for another term for the Senate, placing 15th. Said to be a victim of the notorious “Dagdag Bawas” election operations.
1998- 2004 - He ran successfully and served for another term in the Senate of the Philippines.
2000-2001- Pimentel was installed as Senate President.
As chair of the Blue Ribbon Committee, he recommended the prosecution of officials over the Expo Pilipino centennial scam, misuse of military retirement funds and benefits, and the falsification of land titles.
2004 - He was reelected in the National Elections attaining the third highest number of votes nationally of nearly 80 candidates who vied 12 Senate seats.
2008- He authored a bill that would shift the Philippines into a Federal Republic of the Philippines.
2010- Pimentel left office after serving three Senate terms and briefly as Senate President.
2019- Pimentel passed away. He was 85 years old.
Source: Senate of the Philippines
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