SENATOR Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III urged the young people to succeed what his late father did in the national level and make the former senator an inspiration to always excel.
In his message during the first vigil in Cagayan de Oro Wednesday night, October 23, the senator said his fellow Kagay-anons should be fearless and succeed what former Senate President Aquilino "Nene" Pimentel Jr. has started.
"If he can do it, you can do it. Ang importante naa tay modelo nga pwede sundan," he said.
Pimentel also related how his father loved their hometown Cagayan de Oro, where the late senator started his political career.
"Before Tatay was ready to die for the Philippines, he was ready to die for Cagayan de Oro City," he said.
Meanwhile, justices, lawyers, government officials, and members of the media sponsored a necrological service for the late senator.
Justice Romulo Borja described Pimentel as a very precocious person, who at an early age, was already into politics.
Borja also remembered Pimentel as a dedicated dean of the Xavier University-College of Law and, for his short-stay as dean, easily hits the mark.
"There is no person like Nene Pimentel. Short-stay yet hits the mark of the office of the dean. Why do I say that? I subsequently became Dean of College of Law. And wherever I go to Manila and other places, I introduce myself as Dean of the College of Law, always the same question was asked of me, 'Ah. So you are the Dean of the College of Law of Xavier University? That was Nene's college, wasn't that?' and because I am the current dean I said, 'yes'. So I became very proud that the College of Law of Xavier University's reputation and the prestige was brought everywhere simply because Nene Pimentel was once the dean of that College," he said.
Meanwhile, members of the media also remembered the late senator as a champion of press freedom.
Journalist Manny Jaudian said it was Nene Pimentel who institutionalized the observance of Press Freedom Week in Cagayan de Oro City. Pimentel signed an executive order in 1982 declaring every 4th week of May as Press Freedom Week.