1946 Philippine Senate election

Elections for the members of the Senate were held on April 23, 1946, in the Philippines (pursuant to Commonwealth Act No. 725).

1946 Philippine Senate election

← 1941 April 23, 1946 1947 →

16 (of the 24) seats in the Senate
13 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Leader José Avelino Carlos P. Garcia Vicente Sotto
Party Liberal Nacionalista Popular Front
Seats before 3 (1 up) 20 (9 up) 0
Seats won 9 6 1
Seats after 10 13 1
Seat change Increase 6 Decrease 3 Increase 1
Popular vote 8,626,965 7,454,074 1,199,138
Percentage 47.26 40.81 6.56

Senate President before election

Manuel Roxas
Liberal

Elected Senate President

José Avelino
Liberal

Electoral system

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Philippine Senate elections are held via plurality block voting with staggered elections, with the country as an at-large district. There are 24 seats in the Senate, with eight seats up every election for every two years starting from the first election in 1941; of the results in that election, the first eight would have served for six years, the next eight for four years, and the last eight for two years. Due to the intervention of World War II and the destruction of records, this election was the next election since 1941, and that lots were drawn on the 16 seats that would have been up in this election.

On this election, each voter has sixteen votes, of which one can vote up to sixteen names. Sixteen candidates shall then be elected, of which the first eight candidates with the most votes serving until 1951, then the next eight serving until 1949.

Background

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Soon after the reconstitution of the Commonwealth Government in 1945 Senators Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino and their allies called for an early national election to choose the president and vice president of the Philippines and members of the Congress. In December 1945, the United States House Committee on Insular Affairs of the United States Congress approved the joint resolution setting the election date at not later than April 30, 1946.

Prompted by this congressional action, President Sergio Osmeña called the Philippine Congress to a three-day special session. Congress enacted Commonwealth Act No. 725, setting the election on April 23, 1946, and was approved by President Osmeña on January 5, 1946.

Retiring incumbents

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Nacionalista Party

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  1. Antonio de las Alas
  2. Nicolas Buendia
  3. Ramon J. Fernandez
  4. Domingo Imperial
  5. José Yulo

Nacionalista Party (Liberal wing)

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  1. Quintin Paredes
    • Ran for representative from Abra and won
  2. Elpidio Quirino
    • Ran for vice president of the Philippines and won
  3. Manuel Roxas
    • Ran for president of the Philippines and won

Mid-term vacancies

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  1. Daniel Maramba (Nacionalista), died on December 28, 1941
  2. Jose Ozamiz (Nacionalista), executed on February 11, 1944

Senators running elsewhere

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  1. Eulogio Rodriguez (Nacionalista) ran for vice president of the Philippines and lost

Candidates

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Total seats up: 16
Party Total
Nacionalista 16
Liberal 16
Modernist Party 15
National Welfare Service Party 3
Popular Front 2
Democratic (Osmeña) 1
Democratic Alliance 1
Laborite Party 1
Nacionalista (ind.) 1
Total 56
Major parties
Nacionalista Party (NP) Nacionalista Party (Liberal wing) (NP L) Modernist Party
Jose Altavas Melecio Arranz Miguel Anzures
Antonio Araneta José Avelino Godofredo Calub
Pascual Azanza Olegario Clarin Constancio P. Cecilio
Tomas Cabili Eduardo Cojuangco Sr. Jose Climaco
Tomás Confesor Mariano Jesús Cuenco Emilia T. Del Rosario
Timoteo Consing Servillano dela Cruz Jesus Infante
Ramón Diokno Vicente dela Cruz Marcelino Josue
Carlos P. Garcia Vicente Francisco Vicente Ocampo
Dionesio Gutierrez Mariano Garchitorena Carlos Padilla Sr.
Pedro Insua Vicente Lava Felix E. Rey
Alejo Mabanag Pasto Lavadia Casiano Rosales
Rafael Martinez Enrique Magalona Dominador Santiago
Pedro S. Reyes Pedro Magsalin Manuel Silos
José E. Romero Salipada Pendatun Jose C. Soto
Asa-ad Usman Prospero Sanidad Carlos V. Tolosa
José O. Vera Ramon Torres
Minor parties
Democratic (Osmeña) Democratic Alliance (DA) Laborite Party Nacionalista Party (independent) National Welfare Service Party Popular Front (PF)
Rosendo Zaldarriaga Ramon Lopez Antonio Paguia Francisco Zandueta Ismael Golez Emilio M. Javier
Melchor Lagasca Vicente Sotto
Paul Versoza

Results

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The election was generally peaceful and orderly except in some places where passions ran high, especially in the province of Pampanga. According to the controversial decision of the Electoral Tribunal of the House of Representatives on Meliton Soliman vs. Luis Taruc, Pampanga "was under the terroristic clutches and control of the Hukbalahaps. So terrorized were the people of Arayat, at one time, 200 persons abandoned their homes, their work, and their food, all their belongings in a mass evacuation to the poblacion due to fear and terror."

The dominant Nacionalista Party was divided into two wings in this election. The Liberal wing was led by Senate President Manuel Roxas, while the original Nacionalista Party was headed by President Sergio Osmeña. Roxas defeated Osmeña in the concurrent presidential election, while Roxas's running mate Senator Elpidio Quirino defeated Osmeña's running mate Senator Eulogio Rodriguez.

In the Senate elections, the Liberal wing won nine seats, the original Nacionalista Party won six seats, and the Popular Front won one.

These senators from Liberal wing defended their seats: Melecio Arranz, Mariano Jesus Cuenco, and Ramon Torres. Carlos P. Garcia was the sole senator from the original Nacionalista Party to defend his seat.

Newcomer senators include the Liberal wing's topnotcher Vicente Francisco, Jose Avelino, Olegario Clarin, Enrique Magalona, and Salipada Pendatun. Neophytes from the original Nacionalista Party are Tomas Confesor, Alejo Mabanag, Tomas Cabili, and Ramon Diokno. Newcomer Vicente Sotto was the sole candidate of the Popular Front elected.

José E. Romero of the Nacionalista was also a neophyte senator, but was unseated by the Prospero Sanidad of the Liberals, also a neophyte.

José O. Vera of the original Nacionalista Party, who last served in the Senate when it was abolished in 1935, is the sole senator to make a comeback.

The Liberal Party won nine out of 16 contested senatorial seats; the first eight senators would serve until 1951, and the second eight until 1949:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
Before election ‡^ ‡^
Election result Not up LP PF NP Not up
After election * * * * + + + + * * * *

Key:

  • ‡ Seats up
  • ^ Vacancy
  • + Gained by a party from another party
  • √ Held by the incumbent
  • * Held by the same party with a new senator
CandidatePartyVotes%
Vicente FranciscoNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]735,67128.63
Vicente SottoPopular Front717,22527.91
José AvelinoNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]708,42027.57
Melecio ArranzNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]666,70025.94
Ramon TorresNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]640,47724.92
Tomás ConfesorNacionalista Party627,35424.41
Mariano Jesús CuencoNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]623,65024.27
Carlos P. GarciaNacionalista Party617,54224.03
Olegario ClarinNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]611,22723.78
Alejo MabanagNacionalista Party608,90223.69
Enrique MagalonaNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]591,79623.03
Tomas CabiliNacionalista Party589,76222.95
José O. VeraNacionalista Party588,99322.92
Ramón DioknoNacionalista Party584,59822.75
José E. Romero[b]Nacionalista Party563,81621.94
Salipada PendatunNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]557,15621.68
Prospero Sanidad[b]Nacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]556,77221.67
Vicente dela CruzNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]544,62121.19
Servillano dela CruzNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]536,99520.90
Pedro MagsalinNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]516,12720.08
Antonio PaguiaLaborite Party505,77019.68
Santiago FonacierNacionalista Party499,56519.44
Antonio AranetaNacionalista Party491,05419.11
Emilio M. JavierPopular Front481,91318.75
Eduardo Cojuangco Sr.Nacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]481,68318.74
Pedro S. ReyesNacionalista Party465,98718.13
Jose AltavasNacionalista Party461,01417.94
Rafael MartinezNacionalista Party449,53417.49
Vicente LavaNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]431,84216.80
Mariano GarchitorenaNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]423,82816.49
Pedro InsuaNacionalista Party403,56115.70
Pascual AzanzaNacionalista Party397,83515.48
Carlos Padilla Sr.Modernist Party75,0662.92
Dionesio GutierrezNacionalista Party49,0371.91
Francisco ZanduetaNacionalista Party (independent)47,8021.86
Ramon LopezDemocratic Alliance44,7181.74
Vicente OcampoModernist Party43,8721.71
Jose C. SotoModernist Party35,4081.38
Asa-ad UsmanNacionalista Party28,9241.13
Timoteo ConsingNacionalista Party27,5971.07
Emilia T. Del RosarioModernist Party25,5861.00
Manuel SilosModernist Party23,3440.91
Miguel AnzuresModernist Party20,4410.80
Jose ClimacoModernist Party20,2310.79
Ismael GolezNational Welfare Service Party17,0690.66
Dominador SantiagoModernist Party16,5530.64
Casiano RosalesModernist Party14,9490.58
Carlos V. TolosaModernist Party13,5270.53
Paul VersozaNational Welfare Service Party12,0940.47
Godofredo CalubModernist Party11,4980.45
Jesus InfanteModernist Party10,4870.41
Melchor LagascaNational Welfare Service Party10,3230.40
Felix E. ReyModernist Party9,7870.38
Rosendo ZaldarriagaDemocratic (Osmeña)9,6560.38
Pasto LavadiaNacionalista Party (Liberal wing)[a]7,8640.31
Constancio P. CecilioModernist Party7,8070.30
Marcelino JosueModernist Party4,6040.18
Total18,269,634100.00
Total votes2,569,880
Registered voters/turnout2,898,60488.66
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p The Nacionalista Party was split into two wings: those who supported Sergio Osmeña in the presidential election or the "conservative wing", and those who supported Manuel Roxas or the "liberal wing". The liberal wing eventually split off after the election and became the Liberal Party.
  2. ^ a b José E. Romero was later removed from office in favor of Prospero Sanidad who won an election protest.

Per party

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The Nacionalistas originally won 7 seats. but an election protest unseated a Nacionalista senator in favor of a Liberal one in 1946.

 
PartyVotes%Seats
UpBeforeWonAfter+/−
Nacionalista Party (Liberal wing)8,634,82947.2667910+3
Nacionalista Party7,455,07540.81815613−2
Popular Front1,199,1386.560011New
Laborite Party505,7702.7700000
Modernist Party333,1601.8200000
Nacionalista Party (independent)47,8020.2600000
Democratic Alliance44,7180.2400000
National Welfare Service Party39,4860.2200000
Democratic (Osmeña)9,6560.0500000
Vacancy2200−2
Total18,269,634100.00162416240
Total votes2,569,880
Registered voters/turnout2,898,60488.66
Source: Dieter Nohlen; Florian Grotz; Christof Hartmann; Graham Hassall; Soliman M. Santos (15 November 2001).
Elections in Asia and the Pacific: A Data Handbook: Volume II: South East Asia, East Asia, and the South Pacific
. ISBN 9780199249596.

& Julio Teehankee. "Electoral Politics in the Philippines" (PDF). quezon.ph.
Vote share
LP
47.26%
NP
40.81%
PF
6.56%
Others
5.37%
Senate seats
LP
56.25%
NP
37.50%
PF
6.25%
Others
0.00%

Defeated incumbents

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See also

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References

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