Senate adjourns session early in honor of the late Nene Pimentel; holds all senators’ caucus

The Senate adjourned early its session Monday in honor of the late Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. but held an all senators’ caucus to discuss the proposed 2020 national budget.

Before the adjournment, senators approved and adopted Senate Resolution 168 expressing the chamber’s sympathy and condolence over Pimentel’s passing.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said it is still fitting for the chamber to cut short its session in deference to the death of a former colleague despite the fact that a necrological service had been done and the latter had been interred.

“But there are requests from the members that we adjourn into an all senators’ caucus to tackle the issue on the budget,” he said.

Pimentel succumbed to lymphoma, a form of cancer, and pneumonia on October 20. He was 85 years old.

The former Senate leader is considered as one of the finest politicians and statesmen in the Philippine history.

He was one of the leading opposition leaders during the Marcos administration and called Don Quixote de Pimentel by his detractors for his courageous but lonely battle against corruption in government, electoral fraud and even foreign imperialism.

Pimentel was the principal author of the Local Government Code and was a staunch advocate of a federal system of government. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News