Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. facts for kids
Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (born December 11, 1933), often called Nene, was a very important politician in the Philippines. He spent many years working for the Filipino people. He was a mayor, an Assemblyman, and a Senator. He helped create important laws for local governments.
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Nene Pimentel: A Champion for Filipinos
Early Steps in Politics
Nene Pimentel first became involved in politics in 1971. He was chosen as a delegate for the Constitutional Convention. This was a meeting where people worked to write a new basic law for the country.
Standing Up for the People
When President Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law, Pimentel had to leave the country for a while. This was a time when the military had special powers. He came back in 1980 and was elected as the mayor of Cagayan de Oro City. He was removed from his position in 1982 but returned as mayor again in 1984.
From 1984 to 1986, he served as an Assemblyman in the Batasang Pambansa, which was like the country's national assembly.
A New Era and Senate Service
After the People Power Revolution in 1986, President Corazon Aquino chose him for important roles. He became the Minister of Local Government. He also worked as an adviser and chief negotiator with Muslim groups in Mindanao.
He was then elected as a Senator from 1987 to 1992. As a senator, he wrote the Local Government Code. This important law gave more power and responsibility to local governments.
In 1992, he tried to become Vice President. He ran with Jovito Salonga for President. He finished fifth among the candidates.
Returning to the Senate
In 1995, he ran for senator again but did not win. There were problems with the election results, and he took his case to the Supreme Court. He finally won the case in 2004.
In 1998, he ran for the Senate of the Philippines once more and won. He served from 1998 to 2004. He was also elected as the 19th President of the Senate, serving from 2000 to 2001. He finally left the Senate on June 30, 2010.
Important Work in the Senate
As the head of the Blue Ribbon Committee, Senator Pimentel investigated important issues. He recommended that government officials from past administrations be held accountable. This was for issues like the Expo Pilipino centennial scam and the misuse of money from the Armed Forces.
He also recommended action against people involved in making fake land titles. His committee also looked into the "jueteng scandal," which was about illegal gambling.
As the head of the Committee on Local Government, he worked to make local government units (LGUs) stronger. He also helped pass a law to return the police to the supervision of LGUs. He also wrote a law to set the date for elections of officials in the ARMM.
Leading a Political Party
Nene Pimentel was also the president and founder of the PDP-Laban party. This political party played a big role in Philippine politics.
Images for kids
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Senate President Aquilino Pimentel (2000-2001)
