Koko Pimentel breaks down during his father’s necrological service at Senate

https://www.facebook.com/senateph/videos/441076763431889/

Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III broke down in tears as he responded to the eulogies at his father’s necrological service at the Senate on Wednesday, October 23.

Standing in front of lawmakers, the senator burst into tears while saying that it was hard to bid farewell permanently to “someone as special” as former Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Jr.

“It is actually a sad event,” he said in a breaking voice.

“We do not want this to happen but it happened and that is life… to cope and to console ourselves to celebrate the life of our beloved departed,” he continued.

The senator described his father’s life as an “open book” that is “full of lessons.” Mentioning a few things the former senator told him, the younger Pimentel said he learned to “be productive,” to “follow your conscience,” “do not give up if you’re doing the right thing,” and to not think about himself and “be a man for others.”

The lawmaker expressed his gratitude to his father’s colleagues, staff, friends, and supporters in the upper chamber for helping the elder Pimentel “achieve his vision and goals as a legislator.”

“Because of your support, Tatay Nene left legacies like the Local Government Code and the Cooperative Code of the Philippines, among others,” he said.

“Working on these landmark laws fulfilled him, made him happy. Thank you for working with him to realize his dreams of a fairer, democratic, and productive Philippines,” he continued.

The senator said he will miss interacting with his father and hearing his insights in person.

“Nene Pimentel was my teacher, I know he was yours too.  He was our teacher because he was our father,” the younger Pimentel said.

“Tatay Nene was a father to our nation and we thank God for his life which was well-lived because of the love and support that he got from you, his colleagues, and from the Filipino people,” he added.

The former Senate President passed away on Sunday, after battling lymphoma. He was 85.