# 1998 Philippine Senate election

The 1998 election of members to the Senate of the Philippines was the 26th election to the Senate of the Philippines. It was held on Monday, May 11, 1998 to elect 12 of the 24 seats in the Senate. The two main competing coalitions in the senatorial election were Lakas—National Union of Christian Democrats—United Muslim Democrats of the Philippines and the Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino umbrella coalition composed of Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, Nationalist People's Coalition, and Partido Demokratiko Pilipino—Lakas ng Bayan. The two coalitions split the 12 contested seats 7–5 in favor of LAMMP.

## Electoral system

Philippine Senate elections are via pluraity block voting, with the entire country as an at-large "district". Each voter has 12 votes, and can vote for up to 12 candidates. Seats up were for the 1st to 12th placed candidates in 1992.

## Candidates

The two major presidential candidates, House Speaker Jose C. de Venecia Jr. of Lakas—NUCD—UMDP and Vice President Joseph E. Estrada of LAMMP presented full 12-person senatorial slates.
Former National Defense Secretary Renato de Villa's Partido ng Demokratikong Reporma, Santiago Dumlao's Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago, and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim's Liberal Party also presented senatorial slates.
Oliver Lozano was the sole independent not included in senatorial slates who was allowed to run.

### Other opposition coalitions

Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa ticket :
| Adolfo Geromino | Reporma–LM |
| Rey Langit | Reporma–LM |
| Roberto Sebastian | Reporma–LM |
| Roy Señeres | Reporma–LM |
| Hadja Putri Tamano | Reporma–LM |
| Jose Villegas | Reporma–LM |
| Haydee Yorac | Reporma–LM |
| Abraham Iribani | Reporma–LM |
Liberal Party ticket :
| Raul Daza | Liberal |
| Charito Plaza | Liberal |
Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagbabago ticket :
| Ludovico Badoy | BAGO |
| Eduardo Bondoc | BAGO |
| David Castro | BAGO |
| Renato Garcia | BAGO |
| Fred Henry Marallag | BAGO |

### Independents

Independent candidates :
| Oliver Lozano | Independent |

## Retiring and term limited incumbents

* Heherson Alvarez (LDP), term limited, ran for representative from Isabela's 4th district and won; ran for senator in 2004 and lost
* Edgardo Angara (LDP), term limited, ran for Vice President of the Philippines and lost; ran for senator in 2001 and won
* Neptali Gonzales (LDP), term limited, retired from politics
* Ernesto Herrera (LDP), term limited, ran for representative from Bohol's 1st district and won; ran for senator in 2001 and in 2004 and lost both times
* Ernesto Maceda (NPC), term limited, ran for mayor of Manila and lost; ran for senator in 2004 and lost
* Orlando S. Mercado (LDP), term limited, was subsequently appointed as Secretary of National Defense; ran for senator in 2001 and in 2004 and lost both times
* Alberto Romulo (LDP), term limited
* Leticia Ramos-Shahani (Lakas), term limited, retired from politics

### Incumbents running elsewhere

These all won in the 1995 election, and if lost, would have still returned to finish their six-year Senate term.
* Miriam Defensor Santiago (PRP), ran for President of the Philippines and lost
* Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (Lakas), ran for Vice President of the Philippines and won
* Raul Roco (Aksyon), ran for President of the Philippines and lost
* Francisco Tatad (GAD), ran for Vice President of the Philippines and lost
Arroyo's victory in the vice presidential election meant that she would vacate her Senate seat by June 30, 1998.

## Results

The Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino (LAMMP) won seven seats, while the Lakas-NUCD won five.
Three incumbents, all from LAMMP, successfully defended their seats: Blas Ople, Ramon Revilla Sr., and Tito Sotto.
There are five neophyte senators: Rene Cayetano, Loren Legarda, and Robert Barbers of Lakas, and Robert Jaworski and Tessie Aquino-Oreta of LAMMP.
Returning senators are Rodolfo Biazon, John Henry Osmeña, and Aquilino Pimentel Jr. of LAMMP, and Teofisto Guingona, Jr. of Lakas.
Freddie Webb was the sole incumbent defeated.
The election of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as Vice President of the Philippines in a concurrent election meant that her Senate seat was vacant until June 30, 2001.
| | 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 | Not up | Not up | Not up | Not up | Not up | LAMMP | LAMMP | LAMMP | LAMMP | LAMMP | LAMMP | LAMMP | Lakas coalition | Lakas coalition | Lakas coalition | Lakas coalition | Lakas coalition | Not up | Not up | Not up | Not up | Not up | Not up |
| After election | | | | | | | * | √ | √ | √ | * | + | + | * | + | + | + | + | | | | | | ^ |
| Senate bloc | Minority bloc | Minority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc | Majority bloc |
Key:
* ‡ Seats up
* + Gained by a party from another party
* √ Held by the incumbent
* * Held by the same party with a new senator
* ^ Vacancy

### Per candidate

| Candidate | Candidate | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % |
| | Loren Legarda | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 14,933,965 | 50.99 |
| | Rene Cayetano | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 13,177,584 | 45.00 |
| | Tito Sotto | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino | 11,520,678 | 39.34 |
| | Nene Pimentel | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | PDP–Laban | 10,227,765 | 34.92 |
| | Robert Barbers | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 9,768,045 | 33.35 |
| | Rodolfo Biazon | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino | 9,352,964 | 31.94 |
| | Blas Ople | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino | 9,278,448 | 31.68 |
| | John Henry Osmeña | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Nationalist People's Coalition | 9,242,652 | 31.56 |
| | Robert Jaworski | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Partido ng Masang Pilipino | 8,968,616 | 30.62 |
| | Ramon Revilla Sr. | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 8,683,500 | 29.65 |
| | Teofisto Guingona Jr. | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 7,325,343 | 25.01 |
| | Tessie Aquino-Oreta | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino | 7,238,086 | 24.72 |
| | Roberto Pagdanganan | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 6,938,178 | 23.69 |
| | Ruben Torres | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Independent | 6,923,821 | 23.64 |
| | Edcel Lagman | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino | 6,831,441 | 23.33 |
| | Santanina Rasul | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 6,695,955 | 22.86 |
| | Rolando Andaya Sr. | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 5,722,871 | 19.54 |
| | Roberto de Ocampo | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 5,663,401 | 19.34 |
| | Lisandro Abadia | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 5,426,378 | 18.53 |
| | Haydee Yorac | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | 4,618,565 | 15.77 |
| | Ricardo Gloria | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 4,589,190 | 15.67 |
| | Ramon Bagatsing Jr. | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino | 4,540,475 | 15.50 |
| | Freddie Webb | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino | 4,514,475 | 15.42 |
| | Hernando Perez | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 4,336,969 | 14.81 |
| | Rey Langit | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | 3,930,085 | 13.42 |
| | Raul Daza | Liberal Party | Liberal Party | Liberal Party | 2,995,851 | 10.23 |
| | Miguel Luis Romero | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino | 2,781,973 | 9.50 |
| | Charito Plaza | Liberal Party | Liberal Party | Liberal Party | 2,433,272 | 8.31 |
| | Roy Señeres | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | 1,165,455 | 3.98 |
| | Gerry Geronimo | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | 871,518 | 2.98 |
| | Hadja Putri Zorayda Tamano | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | 855,738 | 2.92 |
| | Roberto Sebastian | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | 721,824 | 2.46 |
| | Jose Villegas | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | 608,186 | 2.08 |
| | Renato Garcia | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | 554,818 | 1.89 |
| | David Castro | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | 436,779 | 1.49 |
| | Ludovico Badoy | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | 388,465 | 1.33 |
| | Oliver Lozano | Independent | Independent | Independent | 352,037 | 1.20 |
| | Abraham Iribani | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | 319,410 | 1.09 |
| | Eduardo Bondoc | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | 202,217 | 0.69 |
| | Fred Henry Marallag | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | 106,496 | 0.36 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 205,243,489 | 100.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 29,285,775 | – |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 33,873,665 | 86.46 |

### Per coalition

| Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Party or alliance | Votes | % | Seats |
| | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 93,261,379 | 45.44 | 5 |
| | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino | 56,058,540 | 27.31 | 4 |
| | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | PDP–Laban | 10,227,765 | 4.98 | 1 |
| | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Nationalist People's Coalition | 9,242,652 | 4.50 | 1 |
| | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Partido ng Masang Pilipino | 8,968,616 | 4.37 | 1 |
| | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | | Independent | 6,923,821 | 3.37 | 0 |
| | Laban ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino | Total | Total | 91,421,394 | 44.54 | 7 |
| | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma–Lapiang Manggagawa | 13,090,781 | 6.38 | 0 |
| | Liberal Party | Liberal Party | Liberal Party | 5,429,123 | 2.65 | 0 |
| | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagbabago | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagbabago | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagbabago | 1,688,775 | 0.82 | 0 |
| | Independent | Independent | Independent | 352,037 | 0.17 | 0 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | 205,243,489 | 100.00 | 12 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 29,285,775 | – | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 33,873,665 | 86.46 | |
| Source: "Electoral Politics in the Philippines" (PDF). quezon.ph. Retrieved 2010-12-10. |||||||
Vote share
Lakas
45.44%
LAMMP
44.54%
Others
10.02% :
Senate seats
Lakas
41.67%
LAMMP
58.53%
Others
0.00% :

### Per party

Seats :
| Party | Party | Votes | % | +/– | Up | Before | Won | After | +/− |
| | Lakas–NUCD–UMDP | 93,261,379 | 45.44 | +21.88 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 9 | +2 |
| | Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino | 56,058,540 | 27.31 | −7.41 | 9 | 10 | 4 | 5 | −5 |
| | Partido para sa Demokratikong Reporma | 13,090,781 | 6.38 | New | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | PDP–Laban | 10,227,765 | 4.98 | +0.31 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | New |
| | Nationalist People's Coalition | 9,242,652 | 4.50 | −11.59 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| | Partido ng Masang Pilipino | 8,968,616 | 4.37 | New | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | New |
| | Liberal Party | 5,429,123 | 2.65 | New | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Kilusan para sa Pambansang Pagpapanibago | 1,688,775 | 0.82 | New | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| | Independent | 7,275,858 | 3.54 | −1.88 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| | Aksyon Demokratiko | | | | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | Grand Alliance for Democracy/Gabaybayan | | | | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | People's Reform Party | | | | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Vacancy | Vacancy | | | | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | +1 |
| Total | Total | 205,243,489 | 100.00 | – | 12 | 24 | 12 | 24 | 0 |
| Total votes | Total votes | 25,736,505 | – | | | | | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 36,415,154 | 70.68 | | | | | | |
| Source: "Electoral Politics in the Philippines" (PDF). quezon.ph. Retrieved 2010-12-10. ||||||||||
Vote share
Lakas
45.44%
LDP
27.31%
Reporma
6.38%
PDP-Laban
4.98%
NPC
4.50%
PMP
4.37%
Independent
3.54%
Others
3.48% :
Senate seats won
Lakas
41.67%
LDP
33.33%
Reporma
0.00%
PDP-Laban
8.33%
NPC
8.33%
PMP
8.33%
Independent
0.00%
Others
0.00% :

## Defeated incumbents

* Freddie Webb (LDP/LAMMP), ran as House representative from Pasay in 2001 and lost