MILF mourns passing of Nene Pimentel

DAVAO CITY — The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) mourned the death of former Senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Jr., who passed away Sunday morning, six days after he was confined in an intensive care unit of a hospital in Manila.

Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, MILF chair, said the Bangsamoro people joined the nation in mourning the death of the former Senate president and staunch critic of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Pimentel contributed a lot in finding solutions to the Mindanao conflict, Ebrahim said as he sent the group’s sympathies to the family of the 85-year-old leader from Mindanao.

“Sen. Nene will forever be remembered by the Bangsamoro people for his significant contributions to finding genuine solution to the Bangsamoro problem,” Ebrahim told the Inquirer in a text message.

Since the administration of former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino (1986 to 1992), Pimentel was among those “who worked very hard to attain peace in Mindanao until the recent conclusion of the peace process,” he said.

MILF signed the final peace agreement with the government in 2014 during the term of former President Benigno Aquino III, Cory’s son.

The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro paved the way for the establishment of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

BARMM replaced the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao early this year, with Ebrahim appointed by President Rodrigo Duterte as the new region’s interim chief minister.

Ebrahim also expressed the sympathies of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority, the BARMM’s governing body until its regular officials would be elected in 2022, to the family of Pimentel, founder of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino (PDP) and considered the “Father of the Local Government Code.”

Pimentel’s son, Senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, confirmed his father’s death in a Twitter post.

“Our beloved Tatay Nene has joined his Creator at 5 a.m. today, Oct. 20, 2019. We thank all those who have been a part of his life. We ask for prayers for the repose of Tatay Nene’s soul. Thank you to all,” the younger Pimentel said. /je