Aquilino Pimentel III

This name uses Philippine naming customs. The middle name or maternal family name is de la Llana and the surname or paternal family name is Pimentel.

Koko Pimentel
File:Koko Pimentel.jpg
Senator of the Philippines
Incumbent
Assumed office August 15, 2011
National Youth Commission Commissioner for Mindanao
In office 1996–1998
Personal details
Born	Aquilino Martin de la Llana Pimentel III (1964-01-20) January 20, 1964 Cagayan de Oro, Misamis Oriental, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Political party	PDP-Laban
Children	Aquilino Martin Emmanuel L. Pimentel VI Aquilino Justo L. Pimentel VII
Alma mater	Ateneo de Manila University University of the Philippines Diliman
Occupation	Lawyer
Profession	Lecturer
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Aquilino Martin de la Llana Pimentel III commonly known as Koko Pimentel, is a Filipino political leader, a member of the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), and serving as member of the Senate of the Philippines. He is the eldest son of the former senator Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. (1987–1992, 1998–2010) and Lourdes dela Llana-Pimentel. He was sworn–in on August 11, 2011 and proclaimed as the 12th winning senator in the 2007 election.

Early life and career

Pimentel holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Ateneo de Manila University and a Bachelor of Laws from University of the Philippines, Diliman. He was subsequently the topnotcher in the 1990 Philippine Bar Examinations.

Pimentel began working as a lawyer in 1990, and was commissioner (representing Mindanao) on the National Youth Commission from 1995–98. Since 2006 he has been a professorial lecturer from MBA-JD Consortium, De La Salle Professional Schools and Far Eastern University Institute of Law. He was conferred doctor of humanities honoris causa by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines(PUP) on May 18, 2012.

Political career

2007 election

Running in only his second race in the May 14, 2007 senatorial elections, Pimentel was narrowly defeated by Bukidnon Congressman Miguel Zubiri for the 12th and last slot in the Philippine Senate. The narrow margin of 18,372 votes was hotly contested, particularly the votes from the southern Philippine province of Maguindanao, where Pimentel had lost heavily to Zubiri.

Election protest

Main article: Pimentel vs. Zubiri electoral protest

Claiming the votes in Maguindanao were tainted, Pimentel petitioned the Supreme Court to issue a restraining order against the proclamation of Zubiri. With the vote tied at 7–7, the High Tribunal did not grant Pimentel's petition. But then Chief Justice Reynato Puno was among the 7 jusctices 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, the SET proceeded with the protest. On August 11, 2011, Pimentel won the protest and was proclaimed the rightful winner after Zubiri's resignation.

2013 election

Pimentel was included in the United Nationalist Alliance's shortlist of candidates for the upcoming 2013 election, but his longtime foe Migz Zubiri was also included on the senatorial list of UNA. Instead of running with Zubiri, he ran under the administration coalition of the Liberal Party. Pimentel won during the elections, placing eighth.

External links

• Aquilino Koko Pimentel's Biodata