INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — Five incumbent senators won back their seats in the Senate in the midterm elections, with three first-time senators and four former senators joining them when the 18th Congress opens in July.
Topping this year’s senatorial race is reelectionist Cynthia Villar, who ran under the Nacionalista Party (NP) and endorsed by the Hugpong ng Pagbabago Party (HNP), with 25,283,727 votes.
She was followed by fellow reelectionist Grace Poe, who ran as an independent candidate, garnering 22,029,788 votes.
Placing third with 20,657,702 votes is former presidential aide Christopher “Bong” Go, a first-time senatorial candidate who ran under the ruling Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).
Former senator and Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano, who also ran under NP and endorsed by HNP, ranked fourth with 19,789,019 votes followed by PDP-Laban first-time candidate Bureau of Corrections chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa with 19,004,225 votes.
Completing the so-called Magic 12 senators are:
6th: Reelectionist Sonny Angara – 18,161,862 votes
7th: Actor and returning senator Lito Lapid – 16,965,464 votes
8th: Ilocos Gov. Imee Marcos – 15,882,628 votes
9th: Former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino – 15,510,026 votes
10th: Reelectionist Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III – 14,668,665 votes
11th: Actor and returning senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. – 14,624,445 votes
12th: Reelectionist Nancy Binay – 14,504,936 votes
The results were based on a total of 167 certificates of canvass (COCs) transmitted from all over the country and posts abroad, including detainee, local absentee voting.
The incoming 12 senators will be serving at the Senate until 2025. They will join 12 incumbents and make up the 18th Congress of the Philippines.
Meanwhile, the terms of 17th Congress senators, who did not seek re-election, will expire on June 30. Graduating senators are Bam Aquino, JV Ejercito, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Loren Legarda, and Antonio Trillanes IV. (Editor: Cenon B. Bibe Jr.)