Candidates in the 2019 Philippine Senate election
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These are the people who, at one time or another, had been considered, announced, declined or withdrew his or her candidacy in the 2019 Philippine Senate election.
Seven incumbents filed candidacies for senator.
- Sonny Angara (LDP)
- Angara was included in Senator Koko Pimentel's list of prospective candidates for the PDP-Laban-led coalition that he sent to President Duterte for approval.[citation needed] Angara filed his candidacy on October 17.[1]
- Bam Aquino (Liberal)
- Aquino was suggested by Senator Franklin Drilon to run.[2] Aquino filed his senatorial candidacy on October 16.[3]
- Nancy Binay (UNA)
- Binay was included in Senator Koko Pimentel's list of prospective candidates for the PDP-Laban-led coalition that he sent to President Duterte for approval.[citation needed]
- JV Ejercito (NPC)
- Ejercito was nominated by Senate President Pimentel; Ejercito was non-committal if he would run.[4] He said by January 2018 that it depends on the decision of his father, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, as he prefers to avoid running with his half-brother Jinggoy Estrada.[5] By April, Pimentel revealed that they considered Ejercito over Estrada, saying that they prefer incumbents, and that it was his commitment to Ejercito.[6] Ejercito left the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, his father's party, in favor of the Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), and will be running under the NPC banner.[7]
- Koko Pimentel (PDP–Laban)
- Pimentel filed a candidacy to run for Senator despite serving his second term. Under the Philippine Constitution only, one is only allowed to serve two consecutive terms as Senator. Pimentel's candidacy was disputed by lawyers Ferdinand Topacio and Glenn Chong who filed cases before the Commission on Elections to disqualify Pimentel's candidacy. The Comelec dismissed the cases stating that Pimentel is eligible to run for another term due to being unable to serve his first term completely from 2007 to 2013 due to an electoral protest. Migz Zubiri served his seat until Pimentel was officially declared the winner.[8]
- Grace Poe (Independent)
- Poe said in early July 2018 that she was unsure if she'd run in 2019, considering that she said that her husband was "traumatized" by what happened in 2016. Poe, who had been a guest candidate when she first ran in 2013, said she hasn't received any offers this time from any party to run.[9] Poe filed her senatorial candidacy on October 15 as an independent.[10]
- Cynthia Villar (Nacionalista)
- Villar announced her candidacy in April 2018, adding that the Nacionalistas will field in Representative from Taguig Pia Cayetano, and Ilocos Norte governor Imee Marcos.[11]
Potential candidates
These persons were considered as potential candidates or have been named by someone else as a potential candidate.
- Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales
- Morales was suggested by Senator Bam Aquino to run under their Resistance slate, however, Morales maintained that she will retire from government after her Ombudsmanship.[12]
- Representative from Taguig Pia Cayetano (Nacionalista)
- Cayetano was suggested by Speaker Alvarez to run. In April, senator Cynthia Villar confirmed that Cayetano will run for the Senate under the Nacionalista banner.[13]
- Representative from Ilocos Norte Rodolfo Fariñas (PDP–Laban)
- Jiggy Manicad (PDP–Laban), TV journalist
- Manicad, who hosted and reported for several GMA Network news programs, resigned on April 20, 2018, days after appearing as a choice in a Pulse Asia opinion poll. Manicad said that he shall enter a "new level of public service".[15] Pimentel said that Manicad was included in his shortlist as he was already a party member.[16]
- Leah Navarro, singer
- Navarro was suggested by the Opposition bloc to run for senator.[17]
- Former Presidential Communications Undersecretary Manolo Quezon
- Quezon was suggested by the Opposition bloc to run.[17]
- Former party-list Representative Barry Gutierrez (Akbayan)
- Gutierrez was included in the Liberal Party senatorial slate named by Senator Francis Pangilinan in mid-May.[citation needed]
- Representative from Bataan Geraldine Roman (PDP–Laban)
- Roman was suggested by Speaker Alvarez to run.[13]
- Former Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Mar Roxas (Liberal)
- Roxas declined to run again. Roxas lost the 2016 presidential election.[citation needed] When sought for comments in May 2018, Roxas said that he'll "cross that bridge" when it gets there.[18] When asked in August 2018, Roxas was still unsure of his plans, in an interview at Leni Robredo's radio show.[19]
- Presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino (Independent)
- Tolentino was suggested by Speaker Alvarez to run.[13]
- Representative from Oriental Mindoro Reynaldo Umali (PDP–Laban)
- Umali was suggested by Speaker Alvarez to run.[20]