Former Senate president Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr. has passed away. He was 85.
His son Senator Koko Pimental announced his death earlier today, Sunday, October 20 through his social media accounts.
The announcement reads: "Our beloved Tatay Nene has joined his Creator at 5 am 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 late senator's wife Lourdes thanks the public for their condolences and prayers through an interview with DZMM early this morning.
Lourdes also reveals that the cause of death. She says, "Si Tatay, dati nang meron lymphoma for the past few years. Siguro iyan ang cause ng kanyang kamatayan."
Lymphoma is cancer of the lympathic system.
In a report by Rappler.com, the late senator was taken to the intensive care unit on October 14.
A statement from the Pimentel family later confirmed this, saying that the former Senate president had fallen "very ill."
Pimentel served as senator from 1987 to 1992 and 1998 to 2010. He was Senate president from 2000 to 2001.
He founded Partido Demokratiko Pilipino (PDP) in 1982, which stood as an opposition to the Marcos dictatorship.