1971 Philippine Senate election

A senatorial election was held on November 8, 1971 in the Philippines. The opposition Liberal Party won five seats in the Philippine Senate while three seats were won by the Nacionalista Party, the administration party; this was seen as a consequence of the Plaza Miranda bombing on August 21, 1971, which wounded all of the Liberal Party's candidates and almost took the lives of John Henry Osmeña and Jovito Salonga. Their terms as senators were cut short as a result of the declaration of martial law by President Ferdinand Marcos on September 23, 1972.

Due to the ratification of a new constitution in 1973, the Senate was abolished and the unicameral parliamentary Batasang Pambansa was instituted. In 1987, a new constitution was approved that reverted to the presidential and bicameral legislative system. This means that this would be the last election for the Senate until the 1987 election.

Electoral system

Philippine Senate elections are held via plurality block voting with staggered elections, with the country as an at-large district. The Senate has 24 seats, of which 8 seats are up every 2 years. The eight seats up were last contested in 1965; each voter has eight votes and can vote up to eight names, of which the eight candidates with the most votes winning the election.

Retiring incumbents

1. Wenceslao Lagumbay (Nacionalista), ran for governor of Laguna in 1980 and lost, ran for member of parliament from Laguna's at-large district in 1984 and won
2. Sergio Osmeña Jr. (Liberal), retired from politics
3. Lorenzo Tañada (NCP), retired from electoral politics

Results

The Liberal Party won five seats, while the Nacionalista Party won three.

Two Liberal incumbents successfully defended their seats: Genaro Magsaysay and Jovito Salonga, while Alejandro Almendras and Eva Estrada Kalaw of the Nacionalistas successfully defended their seats, as well.

The other four winners are neophyte senators: Eddie Ilarde, Ramon Mitra Jr., and John Henry Osmeña of the Liberals, and Ernesto Maceda of the Nacionalistas.

Nacionalista Senator Dominador Aytona lost his reelection bid.

Key:

• ‡ Seats up
• Gained by a party from another party
• √ Held by the incumbent
• * Held by the same party with a new senator

Per candidate

Per party

Defeated incumbents

1. Dominador Aytona (Nacionalista), retired from politics

See also

• Also held on this day:
  • 1971 Philippine local elections
  • 1971 Siquijor creation plebiscite
  • 1971 Quirino provincial creation plebiscite
  • Incorporation plebiscites for:
    • Carmen, Surigao del Sur
    • Dupex del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya
    • Pines, Misamis Occidental
  • Renaming plebiscite for Olongapo, to be renamed as "Pres. Magsaysay City"
• Commission on Elections
• 7th Congress of the Philippines

References

External links

• Official website of the Commission on Elections