DILG Secretary Eduardo Año
MANILA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Sunday joined the country in mourning the passing of former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr., the father of the Local Government Code, who crafted legislation that defined the role of the local government sector vis-à-vis the interior sector agencies, including the PNP.
“In his long years of government service, Senator Pimentel has touched many lives with his own brand of leadership and faithful public service. His advocacy for good governance is a legacy that the PNP is proud to inherit with his passing,” PNP officer-in-charge, Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa said in a statement.
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said the entire DILG family mourns the passing of Pimentel, one of the country’s “greatest” political figures who was also the former Minister/Secretary of Local Government under the Cory Aquino administration.
“An esteemed statesperson, he was the principal author of the landmark Republic Act 7160 (The Local Government Code of 1991), which gave LGUs (local government units) the power and capability to provide for the basic needs of the people within their provinces, cities, municipalities, even up to the barangays. As former Mayor of Cagayan de Oro City, he understood the cause of decentralization and local empowerment,” Año said.
The DILG chief said Pimentel, together with the President, the country’s foremost advocate of a federal system of government, continued his advocacy for change and political reform through the program for constitutional reform (CORE) even if he was no longer with the department.
“In this trying time, we ask the Filipino people to offer prayers for the soul of former Senator Nene Pimentel. We also ask all local government units nationwide to remember him in your activities as we commemorate Local Government month and urge them to place your flags at half-mast as a sign of respect to this great advocate of local autonomy and empowerment,” Año stressed.
Pimentel, 85, died Sunday morning of lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system, his son, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, said. (PNA)
