The Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) is an electoral tribunal that decides election protests in the Senate of the Philippines. It consists of 6 senators nominated by the Senate, and 3 justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, who are designated by the Chief Justice. The equivalent tribunals for elections to the lower house is the House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal and to president and vice presidents is Presidential Electoral Tribunal.
The SET is located at SET-HRET Building, Commission on Audit Compound, Quezon City.
Members of the Tribunal receive a monthly allowance of 100,000 Philippine pesos on top of their regular salary.
History In the 1935 constitution, there were nine members, with three designated by the Chief Justice, three by the largest party in the Senate, and another three from second-largest party. In Tañada and Macapagal v. Cuenco, et al., the Supreme Court ruled that the Senate may not elect members who have not been nominated by the parties specified in the constitution. This was after the Nacionalista Party moved to include 2 more of its members in 1956 after Lorenzo Tañada, the sole senator not a member of the Nacionalista Party, nominated only himself.
In the 1987 constitution, there were still nine members, but the six senators were now based via proportional representation from the political parties therein.
Membership The chairperson of the SET is always the most senior justice of the Supreme Court that's sitting in the tribunal.
The three members from the Supreme Court are designated by the chief justice. While there's no regular occurrence on when a chief justice designates members, this is almost certainly done when there is a new justice of the Supreme Court.
The six members from the Senate are named in a resolution of the Senate. This always happens at the organization of the chamber at the start of every new Congress.
These are the members in the 20th Congress. +20th Congress (July 28, 2025 – June 30, 2028)Members PartyMembershipMarvic LeonenSupreme Court associate justice (Chairperson)Ramon Paul HernandoSupreme Court associate justiceSupreme Court associate justicePia CayetanoSenator from the majority blocKiko PangilinanSenator from the majority blocBam AquinoSenator from the majority blocCamille VillarSenator from the majority blocAlan Peter CayetanoSenator from the minority blocRobin PadillaSenator from the minority bloc
Former senator members +Congress (July 1, 1987 – June 30, 2019)Member Political partyTerm of SenatorsJoel Villanueva July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2019Grace Poe August 10, 2016 – June 30, 2019Antonio Trillanes August 10, 2016 – June 30, 2019Cynthia Villar August 10, 2016 – June 30, 2017Loren Legarda July 1, 1998 – June 30, 2001; July 1, 2014 – August 10, 2016Bam Aquino July 1, 2013 – August 10, 2016Tito Sotto July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2004; July 1, 2013 – August 10, 2016Pia Cayetano July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2016Sonny Angara July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014Francis Pangilinan July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2004; July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2013Bong Revilla July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2007; July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2013Gregorio Honasan July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2013Lito Lapid July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2013Edgardo Angara July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2010Francis Escudero July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2010Benigno Aquino III July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2010Panfilo Lacson July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2010Manuel Villar July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2007Loi Ejercito October 16, 2005 – June 30, 2007Jinggoy Estrada July 1, 2004 – October 15, 2005Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. July 1, 2004 – June 30, 2007Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2007Juan Flavier July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2007Rodolfo Biazon July 1, 2001 – June 30, 2004Ramon Revilla, July 1, 1998 – June 30, 2001John Henry Osmeña July 1, 1998 – June 30, 2001Robert Jaworski July 1, 1998 – June 30, 2001Raul Roco July 1, 1995 – June 30, 1998Blas Ople July 1, 1995 – June 30, 1998Alberto Romulo July 1, 1995 – June 30, 1998Miriam Defensor Santiago July 1, 1995 – June 30, 1998Gloria Macapagal Arroyo July 1, 1995 – June 30, 1998Francisco Tatad July 1, 1992 – June 30, 1995Nikki Coseteng July 1, 1992 – June 30, 1995Leticia Ramos-Shahani July 1, 1992 – June 30, 1995Freddie Webb July 1, 1992 – June 30, 1995Juan Ponce Enrile July 1, 1988 – June 30, 1992Teofisto Guingona July 1, 1987 – June 30, 1995Neptali A. Gonzales July 1, 1987 – June 30, 1992Jose D. Lina, Jr. July 1, 1987 – June 30, 1992Joseph Estrada July 1, 1987 – June 30, 1988Mamintal A.J. Tamano July 1, 1987 – June 30, 1992Victor San Andres Ziga July 1, 1987 – June 30, 1992
Cases Most cases, such as the Pimentel v. Zubiri case, are election protests, and most are usually resolved when the protestant (the losing candidate) runs on another election; at this point, the tribunal will rule that they have abandoned the case.
A few, such as the David v. Poe case, are quo warranto petitions, or questioning if the winner is actually qualified to be a senator.
Successful cases: Romero v. Sanidad (1946) Rodriguez v. Tan (1947) Recto v. de Vera (1949) Pimentel v. Zubiri (2007) Tribunal granted the petition in 2011, declaring Koko Pimentel as duly-elected senator. Failed cases (since 2000):
Enrile vs. Recto et al. (2001) Enrile withdrew the protest in 2002. Osmeña vs. Biazon, et al. (2004) Osmeña withdrew the protest in 2006. David v. Poe (2015) Dismissed the petition in 2015; the Supreme Court then upheld the decision of the SET in 2016 Tolentino v. de Lima (2016) Tolentino withdrew the protest in 2018. Mansilungan v. Pimentel and Adan v. Pimentel (2019) Dismissed due to lack of merit in 2020.
Seat The tribunal was formerly found in the SET-HRET Building, Commission on Audit Compound in Quezon City. However, that building was condemned, and the SET was transferred to the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay. It has then transferred to the Sugar Center Building that houses the Sugar Regulatory Administration in Quezon City.
References
External links Official website