The Cebuano candidates in the 1971 Senatorial Elections

During the 1971 senatorial elections held on November 8 of that year, three Cebuano candidates made it to the top 16. Only the top eight would be elected as senators to fill the vacancy and complete the 24 senate seats.

It was a contest between the Nacionalista Party and the Liberal Party. President Ferdinand E. Marcos was the leader of the Nacionalista, in the senate, the party was led by Gil Puyat (the majority party and Senate President, before and after the elections) while the Liberal, the minority at that time was led by Gerardo "Gerry" Roxas (father of former senator and now Secretary of DILG Mar Roxas). Months before the election, on August 21, 1971 a bomb exploded during the meeting of the Liberal Party at Plaza Miranda. One of those injured was Liberal Party candidate John Henry "Sonny" R. Osmeña. In that election majority of the seat was won by the Liberal Party.

The Cebuano candidate, Sonny, placed 3rd and one of the five Liberals who dominated the election. The first spot went to Jovito Salonga, following him was Genaro Magsaysay (both of the Liberal Party).

Sonny is the son of Dr. Emilio V. Osmeña (executed by the Japanese Army) and Maria Luisa Oriol Renner. Sonny was elected as councilor of Cebu City in 1963, in the next election (1965) he was elected vice mayor of Cebu City. He was elected congressman of the old second congressional district in 1969. He married Lucy Valenzuela Urgello, a granddaughter of Congressman Vicente S. Urgello of Carcar. Their son, John Gregory, became a board member and vice governor of Cebu.

Another Cebuano, who won in that election earning the last spot (number 8), was Alejandro D. Almendras, son of spouses Paulo Gonzales Almendras and Elisea Mercado Durano. Alejandro, a candidate of the Nacionalista Party was a veteran of World War II and played an important role in the corps of officers of Col. James Cushing, Commander of the Cebu Area Command of the Guerilla Movement. Alejandro, was an officer of the 88th Infantry Regiment and had the rank of Lt. Colonel during the war. After the war, Alejandro was elected governor of Davao in 1951 while studying law.

The father of Alejandro was one of the trusted leaders of Don Sergio Osmeña, the founder of the Nacionalista Party. His brother named Josefino, was the father of Sec. Jose Rene Almendras and Vice Governor Agnes A. Magpale.

The third Cebuano candidate was Leonila D. Garcia, she got the 15th spot. Leonila was the wife of President Carlos Polistico Garcia of the Nacionalista Party who died months before the elections, that was on June 15, 1971. Leonila was the daughter of  Bartolome Mangubat Dimataga (fifth municipal president of Opon and Leoncia dela Serna (sister of  Pascual dela Serna, the first elected municipal president of Opon). The brother of Leonila, Mariano was the first city mayor of Lapu-Lapu. A sister, Rosita, married Josefino Almendras, the brother of party mate and senatorial candidate Alejandro.

Osmeña, who ranked third was followed by Eddie Elarde (Liberal) and Eva Estrada Kalaw (Nacionalista), while the sixth spot went to Ramon Mitra Jr. (Liberal) and the seventh placer was Ernesto Maceda of the Nacionalista. On the 14th spot was Blas Ople and the 16th placer was Cipriano "Tito" Primicias Jr. who was the son of Senator Cipriano Purugganan Primicias Sr.