Aquilino Martin de la Llana Pimentel III (born January 20, 1964), commonly known as Koko Pimentel, is a Filipino politician and lawyer serving as the
Senate Minority Leader
The positions of majority leader and minority leader are held by two United States senators and members of the party leadership of the United States Senate. They serve as the chief spokespersons for their respective political parties holding ...
since 2022. He has been a
Senator
A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...
since 2011 and previously served as the
Senate President of the Philippines
The president of the Senate of the Philippines ( fil, pangulo ng Mataas na Kapulungan ng Pilipinas or ), commonly known as the Senate president, is the presiding officer and the highest-ranking official of the Senate of the Philippines, and thir ...
from 2016 to 2018. He is also the national chairman of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (
PDP–Laban
Partido Demokratiko Pilipino–Lakas ng Bayan (), abbreviated as PDP–Laban, is a democratic socialist List of political parties in the Philippines, political party in the Philippines founded in 1982. It was part of the country's ruling party al ...
). As the eldest son and third child of the former Senate President
Aquilino Pimentel Jr.
Aquilino Quilinging Pimentel Jr. (, December 11, 1933 – October 20, 2019), commonly known as Nene Pimentel, was a Filipino politician and human rights lawyer who was one of the leading political opposition leaders during the regime of Ferdinan ...
, he is the first child of a previous Senate president to hold the office. He was sworn in on August 12, 2011, and was proclaimed as the 12th winning senator in the
2007 election. Pimentel was one of the high-ranking public officials who drew flak for breaching the
COVID-19 quarantine protocols.
Early life and education
Aquilino Martin de la Llana Pimentel III was born on January 20, 1964, in
Cagayan de Oro
Cagayan ( ), officially the Province of Cagayan ( ilo, Probinsia ti Cagayan; ibg, Provinsiya na Cagayan; itv, Provinsiya ya Cagayan; fil, Lalawigan ng Cagayan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Cagayan Valley region, covering ...
, Philippines.
His parents are
Aquilino Pimentel, Jr.
Aquilino Quilinging Pimentel Jr. (, December 11, 1933 – October 20, 2019), commonly known as Nene Pimentel, was a Filipino politician and human rights lawyer who was one of the leading political opposition leaders during the regime of Ferdina ...
and Lourdes de la Llana-Pimentel. His father was a lawyer and
dean
Dean may refer to:
People
* Dean (given name)
* Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin
* Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk
* Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean
Titles
* ...
of
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
at
Xavier University
Xavier University ( ) is a private Jesuit university in Cincinnati and Evanston (Cincinnati), Ohio. It is the sixth-oldest Catholic and fourth-oldest Jesuit university in the United States. Xavier has an undergraduate enrollment of 4,860 studen ...
at the time of his birth. The elder Pimentel eventually became a senator.
[Bio Data](_blank)
''The Official Website of Senator Aquilino "Nene" Q. Pimentel, Jr.''
Pimentel earned his
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
degree in
Mathematics
Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
from
Ateneo de Manila University
, mottoeng = Light in the Lord
, type = Private, research, non-profit, coeducational basic and higher education institution
, established = December 10, 1859
, religious_affiliation = Roman Catholic (Jesuits)
, academic_aff ...
and his
Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws ( la, Legum Baccalaureus; LL.B.) is an undergraduate law degree in the United Kingdom and most common law jurisdictions. Bachelor of Laws is also the name of the law degree awarded by universities in the People's Republic of Chi ...
from
University of the Philippines College of Law
The University of the Philippines College of Law (often referred to as UP Law) is the law school of the University of the Philippines Diliman. Formally established in 1911 in UP Manila, it is the third oldest continually-operating law school ...
.
He topped the 1990
Philippine Bar Examination
The Philippine Bar Examination is the professional licensure examination for lawyers in the Philippines. The exam is exclusively administered by the Supreme Court of the Philippines through the Supreme Court Bar Examination Committee.
Brief hist ...
s with a score of 89.85 percent.
Early career
![Koko Pimentel](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8e/Koko_Pimentel.jpg)
Pimentel began working as a lawyer in 1990, and was commissioner (representing
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
) on the
National Youth Commission from 1995 to 1998. He was a professor for the
University of the East College of Law
The University of the East College of Law or UE Law is the law school of the University of the East, a private, non-sectarian university in Manila, Philippines.
History
The UE College of Law was established in July 1950.
Dr. Francisco T. Dalup ...
from 2007 to 2010 and also for the
MBA
A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...
-
JD Program of the
Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business
The College of Business (COB), also known as ''Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business'' and formerly ''De La Salle-Professional Schools, Inc. (DLS-PSI)'', is one of the eight undergraduate and graduate schools of De La Salle University (DLSU). ...
and
Far Eastern University Institute of Law
The Far Eastern University – Institute of Law, also known as FEU Law or IL, is the Legal Education Board-accredited law school of the Far Eastern University. It is one of the four earliest institutes that comprised the university in 1934.
FEU ...
from 2006 until his election to the senate in August 2011.
[About Koko]
He was conferred Doctor of Humanities ''honoris causa'' by the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines
, mottoeng = ''Light of the Nation''
, type = Public coeducational research higher education institution
, established = October 19, 1904
, closed =
, religious_affiliation = ...
on May 18, 2012.
Political career
2001 election
Pimentel ran for Cagayan de Oro City mayor in the
2001 elections
The following elections occurred in the year 2001.
Africa
* 2001 Beninese presidential election
* 2001 Cape Verdean parliamentary election
* 2001 Cape Verdean presidential election
* 2001 Chadian presidential election
* 2001 Gabonese legislat ...
but lost to
Vicente Emano
Vicente "Dongkoy" Yap Emano (March 31, 1943 – May 7, 2019) was a Filipino politician and was the mayor of the city of Cagayan de Oro from 1998 to 2007 and again from 2010 to 2013; he was the mayor of Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental from 1980 to 198 ...
.
2007 election
Running in only his second race in the
May 14, 2007 senatorial elections, Pimentel was narrowly defeated by
Bukidnon
Bukidnon(), officially the Province of Bukidnon ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Bukidnon; fil, Lalawigan ng Bukidnon; hil, Kapuroan sang Bukidnon; Binukid and Higaonon: ''Probinsya ta Bukidnon''), is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the ...
Congressman
Miguel Zubiri
Juan Miguel "Migz" Fernandez Zubiri (; born April 13, 1969) is a Filipino businessman and politician serving as the Senate President of the Philippines since July 25, 2022. Since 2016, he has been on his second stint in the Senate, first servi ...
for the 12th and last slot in the Philippine Senate. The narrow margin of 18,372 votes was controversial, particularly the votes from the southern Philippine province of
Maguindanao
Maguindanao (, Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Prubinsya nu Magindanaw''; Iranun language, Iranun'': Perobinsia a Magindanao''; tl, Lalawigan ng Maguindanao) was a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the ...
, where Pimentel had lost heavily to Zubiri.
Electoral protest
In Philippine senatorial elections, the twelve candidates with the highest number of votes nationwide are elected. In the
2007 elections
The following elections occurred in the year 2007.
* Electoral calendar 2007
* Elections in 2007
* 2007 United Nations Security Council election
Africa
* 52nd National Conference of the African National Congress
* 2007 Algerian legislative el ...
, Pimentel (
Genuine Opposition
Genuine Opposition (GO) was an electoral alliance in the Philippines that contested the 2007 Philippine general election. The alliance's members were in opposition to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. It was originally called the United Opposi ...
) and
Juan Miguel Zubiri
Juan Miguel "Migz" Fernandez Zubiri (; born April 13, 1969) is a Filipino businessman and politician serving as the President of the Senate of the Philippines, Senate President of the Philippines since July 25, 2022. Since 2016, he has been on ...
(
TEAM Unity) contested the 12th seat.
In the final tally for the 2007 senatorial elections by the
Commission on Elections
An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
(COMELEC), Zubiri narrowly defeated Pimentel for the 12th and last seat in the Senate. Zubiri had a total of 11,005,866 votes against Pimentel's 10,984,347 votes.
On July 14, 2007, Zubiri was proclaimed as the 12th winning senator.
Claiming fraudulent votes in 22 municipalities of
Maguindanao
Maguindanao (, Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Prubinsya nu Magindanaw''; Iranun language, Iranun'': Perobinsia a Magindanao''; tl, Lalawigan ng Maguindanao) was a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the ...
, 7 in
Lanao del Norte
Lanao del Norte ( Cebuano: ''Amihanang Lanao''; tl, Hilagang Lanao; Maranao: ''Pangotaraan Ranao''), officially the Province of Lanao del Norte, is a province in the Philippines located in the Northern Mindanao region. Its capital is Tubod.
T ...
, 3 in
Shariff Kabunsuan
Shariff Kabunsuan was a short-lived province of the Philippines within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) that existed from 2006 to 2008. Its designated seat of government was Datu Odin Sinsuat. Initially comprising ten municipalit ...
, 2 in
Basilan
Basilan, officially the Province of Basilan ( cbk, Provincia de Basilan; yka, Wilayah Basilanin; tsg, Wilaya' sin Basilan; fil, Lalawigan ng Basilan), is an island province of the Philippines located primarily in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Re ...
, 2 in
Sultan Kudarat
Sultan Kudarat, officially the Province of Sultan Kudarat ( hil, Kapuoran sang Sultan Kudarat; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sultan Kudarat'', Jawi: دايرت نو سلطان كودرت; ceb, Lalawigan sa Sultan Kudarat; tl, Lalawigan ng Sul ...
, 4 in
Lanao del Sur
Lanao del Sur ( tl, Timog Lanao; Maranao and ilp, Pagabagatan Ranao), officially the Province of Lanao del Sur, is a province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). The capital is the city of ...
, and 4 in
Sulu
Sulu (), officially the Province of Sulu (Tausug language, Tausūg: ''Wilāya sin Lupa' Sūg''; tl, Lalawigan ng Sulu), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines in the Sulu Archipelago and part of the Bangsamoro, Bangsamor ...
, Pimentel petitioned the
Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
to issue a
restraining order
A restraining order or protective order, is an order used by a court to protect a person in a situation involving alleged domestic violence, child abuse, assault, harassment, stalking, or sexual assault.
Restraining and personal protection or ...
against the proclamation of Zubiri. With the vote tied at 7–7, the Supreme Court dismissed Pimentel's petition. But then-
Chief Justice Reynato Puno
Reynato Puno y Serrano, KGCR (Filipino: ''Reynato Serrano Puno''; born May 17, 1940) is a Filipino jurist. He served as the 22nd Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines from December 8, 2006 by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo unt ...
was among the seven justices who favored Pimentel's petition.
On July 14, 2007, Pimentel filed an electoral protest to the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET). After finding grounds for a
recount
An election recount is a repeat tabulation of votes cast in an election that is used to determine the correctness of an initial count. Recounts will often take place if the initial vote tally during an election is extremely close. Election reco ...
, the SET proceeded with the protest.
In July 2011, former
Maguindanao
Maguindanao (, Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Prubinsya nu Magindanaw''; Iranun language, Iranun'': Perobinsia a Magindanao''; tl, Lalawigan ng Maguindanao) was a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the ...
election supervisor Lintang Bedol and suspended
Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
The Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao ( tl, Rehiyong Awtonomo ng Muslim Mindanao; ar, الحكم الذاتي الاقليمي لمسلمي مندناو ''Al-ḥukm adh-dhātī al-'iqlīmī li-muslimī Mindanāu''; abbreviated as ARMM) was ...
governor
Zaldy Ampatuan
Zaldy Uy Ampatuan (born August 22, 1967) is a Filipino convicted mass murderer and former politician. He is one of the main perpetrators of the Maguindanao massacre along with his father, brothers, and nephews.
He served as governor of the Autono ...
revealed that there was massive election fraud during the 2007 election.
On August 11, 2011, the Senate Electoral Tribunal released the final tally: Pimentel got 10,898,786 votes while Zubiri got 10,640,620.
Prior to this, on August 3, 2011, Zubiri resigned from the Senate; however, he reiterated that he was not involved in the 2007 electoral fraud.
On August 11, 2011, Pimentel was proclaimed by the Senate Electoral Tribunal as the rightful winner of the 12th senate seat. On August 12, Pimentel took his oath of office before his supporters in
Mati, Davao Oriental
Mati, officially the City of Mati ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Mati; fil, Lungsod ng Mati), is a 5th class component city and capital of the province of Davao Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 147,547 people.
...
, where he received a high number of votes.
2013 election
Pimentel was included in the
United Nationalist Alliance
The United Nationalist Alliance (UNA; ) is a political party in the Philippines. It was created as a multi-party electoral alliance replacing the former United Opposition (UNO) coalition for the 2013 midterm elections, before it was launche ...
(UNA) coalition's shortlist of senatorial candidates for the
2013 election. However, citing UNA's senatorial slate now having more than twelve members and the inclusion of his longtime political rival,
Juan Miguel Zubiri
Juan Miguel "Migz" Fernandez Zubiri (; born April 13, 1969) is a Filipino businessman and politician serving as the President of the Senate of the Philippines, Senate President of the Philippines since July 25, 2022. Since 2016, he has been on ...
, Pimentel officially declined his spot in the UNA coalition on June 28, 2012. Instead, Pimentel ran under the
Team PNoy
Team PNoy, formerly known as the LP–Akbayan–NPC–NP–LDP Coalition, was a political umbrella coalition in the Philippines, originally formed to support the administration-backed senatorial line-up for the 2013 Philippine Senate election. Tea ...
coalition, composed mostly of supporters of then-President
Benigno Aquino III
Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III (; February 8, 1960 – June 24, 2021), also known as Noynoy Aquino and colloquially as PNoy, was a Filipino politician who served as the 15th president of the Philippines from 2010 to 2016. The son of ...
. Pimentel was elected to the Senate of the Philippines, placing eighth with 14,725,114 votes.
Senate President (2016–2018)
![SONA 2016 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/SONA_2016_1.png)
On July 25, 2016, the opening day of the
17th Congress of the Philippines
The 17th Congress of the Philippines ( fil, Ikalabimpitong Kongreso ng Pilipinas), composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives, met from July 25, 2016, until June 4, 2019, during the first three years of Rodrigo Duterte's presi ...
, Pimentel was elected as Senate President with 20 out of 23 senators voting in his favor. He, along with his father
Aquilino Pimentel Jr.
Aquilino Quilinging Pimentel Jr. (, December 11, 1933 – October 20, 2019), commonly known as Nene Pimentel, was a Filipino politician and human rights lawyer who was one of the leading political opposition leaders during the regime of Ferdinan ...
, is the only father-and-son tandem being elected as Senate President in Philippine history; the elder Pimentel served as Senate President from 2000 to 2001.
In November 2016, Pimentel told
Palace Communications Secretary
Martin Andanar
Jose Ruperto Martin Marfori Andanar (born August 21, 1974) is a Filipino television news personality, news anchor, radio commentator, podcaster, and voice-over artist. He served as the secretary of the Presidential Communications Office of the ...
, "Review your history.", after Andanar referred to anti-Marcos protesters who opposed the hero's
burial
Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
of the late dictator as "temperamental brats". Pimentel called the protestors "principled", adding that "they come from the poorest sectors of society and therefore, cannot be labeled as "brats. They can never be called brats. These are actually principled positions. So Martin Andanar should review his history,"
In May 2017, Pimentel led 15 senators who supported
Proclamation No. 216 which placed the whole of Mindanao under
Martial Law
Martial law is the imposition of direct military control of normal civil functions or suspension of civil law by a government, especially in response to an emergency where civil forces are overwhelmed, or in an occupied territory.
Use
Marti ...
. Pimentel also led 12 senators who voted against Resolution 390 calling on Congress to convene a joint session to tackle the declaration of martial law in Mindanao. This opinion was contradicted by Pimentel's father and former Senate President, Nene Pimentel, who posited, "Within 48 hours from declaration of martial law, President
odrigoDuterte is obligated to submit his report in writing or in person before the Senate and the House in joint session".
Pimentel resigned on May 21, 2018, in order to focus on his reelection bid in the
2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
and was succeeded by Majority Leader
Tito Sotto
Vicente Castelo Sotto III (; born August 24, 1948), professionally known as Tito Sotto, is a Filipino politician, entertainer and athlete who served as Senate President from 2018 to 2022. Before that, had two stints each as Senate Majority Lea ...
.
COVID-19 quarantine protocol breach (2020–2021)
On March 25, 2020, Pimentel announced that he tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...
), amid the
pandemic in the Philippines. Earlier on March 12, multiple senators began practicing self-quarantine as a precaution against the virus, and also because one of the resource persons who attended the Senate session on March 5 tested positive for the disease. On March 16, Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19, which marked Pimentel, along with other senators, as "patients under monitoring" (the official designation by the
Department of Health
A health department or health ministry is a part of government which focuses on issues related to the general health of the citizenry. Subnational entities, such as states, counties and cities, often also operate a health department of their ow ...
, abbreviated as "PUM"). Pimentel took the
COVID-19 test
COVID-19 testing involves analyzing samples to assess the current or past presence of SARS-CoV-2. The two main types of tests detect either the presence of the virus or antibodies produced in response to infection. Molecular tests for viral p ...
on March 20. At the time that Pimentel confirmed his diagnosis, he had visited the
Makati Medical Center
Makati Medical Center (MMC), also known as Makati Med, is a tertiary hospital in Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines with more than 600 beds. The hospital was founded on May 31, 1969. The hospital is owned and operated by Medical Doctors Inc., a ...
to accompany his wife. The Makati Medical Center issued a
press release
A press release is an official statement delivered to members of the news media for the purpose of providing information, creating an official statement, or making an announcement directed for public release. Press releases are also considere ...
criticizing Pimentel for violating the hospital's home quarantine protocol, which required PUMs to self-isolate in order to avoid exposing health professionals and other patients to possible infection. On May 2, 2020, Pimentel considered himself as a "recovered person" as his staff told him after his sample was tested negative for the
SARS-Cov-2
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) is a strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), the respiratory illness responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The virus previously had a ...
, but not yet confirmed by the Department of Health.
Referring to his actions in violation of the COVID-19 community quarantine, an editorial column from the Inquirer dated March 27, 2020 labeled him as "the poster boy of entitlement and recklessness". A popular actress and activist,
Angel Locsin
Angelica Locsin Colmenares (born April 23, 1985) is a Filipino actress and humanitarian. She is known for her dramatic roles and portrayals of heroines and mythological characters in film and television. She is a recipient of various accolades ...
, expressed regret in endorsing Pimentel during the
2007 elections
The following elections occurred in the year 2007.
* Electoral calendar 2007
* Elections in 2007
* 2007 United Nations Security Council election
Africa
* 52nd National Conference of the African National Congress
* 2007 Algerian legislative el ...
, calling it a "mortal sin".
The
National Bureau of Investigation probed Pimentel over his possible breach of the quarantine protocols. The
Department of Justice
A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a v ...
will issue a subpoena for him regarding the breach sometime in mid-April 2020. Former
Universidad de Manila
Universidad de Manila, also referred to by its acronym UdM, is a public coeducational Local colleges and universities (Philippines), city government funded higher education institution in Manila, Philippines. It was founded in April 26, 1995 wit ...
College of Law dean and lawyer Rico Quicho filed a complaint against the senator for allegedly violating Republic Act No. 11332.
On January 21, 2021, the Department of Justice dismissed the case for lack of probable cause the complaint against Pimentel over his alleged quarantine breach. The Prosecutor General said that the complaint was fatally defective as it was relied on hearsay. As a result, Quicho questioned the government's seriousness about implementing protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic, comparing it to when a fish vendor in
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
was violently arrested for not wearing a mask, while government officials like Pimentel are able to get a free pass from violating pandemic protocols.
PDP–Laban dispute
In December 2020, Pimentel nominated Senator
Manny Pacquiao
Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. (; born December17, 1978) is a Filipino politician and former professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He served as a Senator of the Philip ...
as party president. Despite this, Pacquiao was allegedly kept out of party meetings by vice chairperson and Energy secretary
Alfonso Cusi
Alfonso "Al" Gaba Cusi (; born December 4, 1949) is a Filipino businessman from Naujan, Oriental Mindoro who served as the 14th Secretary of Energy under the Duterte administration from 2016 to 2022. He is also the president of PDP–Laban and s ...
, leading to the
PDP-Laban dispute in 2021. A faction of party members headed by Cusi ousted Pacquiao as party president and Pimentel as the party executive vice chairperson on July 17, 2021. As a result, Pacquiao and Pimentel organized a new faction. Duterte later on pinned Pimentel for causing the dispute by naming Pacquiao as party president.
2022 elections
Being only halfway through his second full term as Senator, Pimentel was not up for re-election in the
2022 senatorial elections (Senators serve six-year terms, with half being chosen every three years). However, his faction of the PDP-Laban named Pacquiao as their official standard bearer in the
2022 presidential elections. On March 22, 2022, the Cusi wing of PDP-Laban endorsed the
presidential candidacy of
Bongbong Marcos
Ferdinand "Bongbong" Romualdez Marcos Jr. ( , , ; born September 13, 1957), commonly referred to by the initials PBBM or BBM, is a Filipino politician who is the 17th and current president of the Philippines. He previously served as a senat ...
, drawing criticism from Pimentel, who declared that the Cusi wing are "total strangers" to the founding of the PDP-Laban party, which was established as the opposition to the dictatorship of Marcos's father,
Ferdnand Marcos Sr. He subsequently called on members of the Cusi faction to remember the history and principles of PDP-Laban, stating that in these beliefs, "we cannot possibly endorse Ferdinand Marcos Jr".
With a Supreme Court ruling in 1997 ordering the heirs of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. to pay billion in
estate tax
An inheritance tax is a tax paid by a person who inherits money or property of a person who has died, whereas an estate tax is a levy on the estate (money and property) of a person who has died.
International tax law distinguishes between an es ...
returns to the
Bureau of Internal Revenue, which has since ballooned to billion in 2022, Pimentel filed Senate Resolution No. 998 on March 28, 2022, stating an urgent and pressing need for the Senate to look into why the estate tax has remained uncollected for almost 25 years.
Senate Minority Leader
On July 25, 2022, Pimentel was elected as
Senate Minority Floor Leader. He is part of the two-member minority bloc in the Senate alongside
Risa Hontiveros
Ana Theresia Navarro Hontiveros-Baraquel (; born February 24, 1966) is a Filipino politician, community leader, and journalist who has been serving as a senator of the Philippines since 2016. She previously served as a party-list representa ...
in the
19th Congress of the Philippines
The 19th Congress of the Philippines ( fil, Ikalabinsiyam na Kongreso ng Pilipinas), composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives, convened on July 25, 2022. The 19th Congress is meeting during the first three years of Bongbon ...
. He, along with his father Aquilino Pimentel Jr., is the second father-and-son tandem to be elected as Senate Minority Floor Leader in Philippine history after
Lorenzo Tañada
Lorenzo "Ka Tanny" Martinez Tañada Sr. CCLH (, born Lorenzo Tañada y Martínez; August 10, 1898 – May 28, 1992) was a Filipino nationalist, lawyer, solicitor general, senator, national athlete, and human and civil rights defender best known f ...
and
Wigberto Tañada
Wigberto "Ka Bobby" Ebarle Tañada Sr. (, born August 13, 1934) is a Filipino politician. He is member of the Liberal Party and a former member of the Senate of the Philippines (1987–1995) and Philippine House of Representatives representing th ...
; the elder Pimentel served as Minority Leader from 2001 to 2002 and from 2004 to 2010. Like his father, Pimentel became Minority Leader after serving as Senate President.
Personal life
His sister, Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana was appointed in 2015 as a commissioner of the
Commission on Human Rights
A human rights commission, also known as a human relations commission, is a body set up to investigate, promote or protect human rights.
The term may refer to international, national or subnational bodies set up for this purpose, such as nationa ...
.
In January 2000, Pimentel married
1998 Miss Universe Philippines Jewel May Lobaton, with whom he has two sons. Pimentel and Lobaton began living separately in November 2011, and their marriage was annulled in January 2018.
In May 2013, Pimentel met chef
Kathryna Yu, and they married in October 2018 at the
Coconut Palace
Coconut Palace, also known as Tahanang Pilipino (), is a government building located in the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex in Manila, Philippines. It was the official residence and the principal workplace of the vice president of th ...
. Supreme Court Associate Justice
Antonio Carpio
Antonio Tirol Carpio (; born October 26, 1949) is a former associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was sworn in as member of the High Court by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on October 26, 2001, and served until his ret ...
officiated the wedding, while President Rodrigo Duterte, Secretary
Bong Go
Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Tesoro Go (; born June 14, 1974) is a Filipino politician serving as a Senator since 2019. He previously served in the Cabinet of President Rodrigo Duterte as Special Assistant to the President and Head of the Presi ...
, Senate President
Tito Sotto
Vicente Castelo Sotto III (; born August 24, 1948), professionally known as Tito Sotto, is a Filipino politician, entertainer and athlete who served as Senate President from 2018 to 2022. Before that, had two stints each as Senate Majority Lea ...
, Senator
Manny Pacquiao
Emmanuel Dapidran Pacquiao Sr. (; born December17, 1978) is a Filipino politician and former professional boxer. Nicknamed "PacMan", he is regarded as one of the greatest professional boxers of all time. He served as a Senator of the Philip ...
and former House Speaker
Pantaleon Alvarez
Pantaleon Diaz Alvarez (born January 10, 1958) is a Filipino politician serving as the Representative of Davao del Norte's 1st district since 2016, previously holding the position from 1998 to 2001. He served as the Speaker of the House of ...
were
principal sponsors.
Yu currently heads
PDP Cares
PDP Cares Foundation, Inc., otherwise known as PDP (Pilipino Dapat Paglingkuran) CARES, is a non-stock, non-profit organization duly organized under the laws of the Philippines and is registered in the Securities and Exchange Commission on Septemb ...
. During his first wedding anniversary with Yu, Pimentel announced that they were expecting their first child together. Their daughter, Helena, was born on March 29, 2020.
[PEP ]
References
External links
Aquilino Martin “Koko” dela Llana Pimentel III– Senate of the Philippines
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pimentel, Koko
1964 births
Living people
Ilocano people
20th-century Filipino lawyers
People from Cagayan de Oro
PDP–Laban politicians
Senators of the 18th Congress of the Philippines
Senators of the 17th Congress of the Philippines
Senators of the 16th Congress of the Philippines
Senators of the 15th Congress of the Philippines
Ateneo de Manila University alumni
University of the Philippines Diliman alumni
Presidents of the Senate of the Philippines
21st-century Filipino lawyers
Senators of the 19th Congress of the Philippines