The1949 Philippine presidential and vice presidential elections were held on November 8, 1949. Incumbent PresidentElpidio Quirino won a full term asPresident of the Philippines after the death ofPresidentManuel Roxas in 1948. His running mate,SenatorFernando Lopez, won asVice President. Despite factions created in the administration party, Quirino won a satisfactory vote from the public. It was the only time in Philippine history where the duly elected president, vice president and senators all came from the same party, the Liberal Party.
Fraud and violence was prevalent during the election.[1]Carlos P. Romulo and Marvin M. Gray, publisher of theManila Evening News, accuse Quirino in their bookThe Magsaysay Story[2] of widespread fraud and intimidation of the opposition by military action, calling it the "dirty election".
The election was widely criticized as being corrupt,[3] with violence and fraud taking place.[4] Opponents of Quirino were either beaten up or murdered by his supporters or the police, and the election continues to be perceived as corrupt.[5]
Source: Nohlen, Grotz, Hartmann, Hasall and Santos[6]
^abThe Liberal Party was split into two wings: those who supported Quirino or the "Quirinitas" or the "Quirino wing", and those who supported Avelino or the "Avelinistas" or the "Avelino wing".
Source: Nohlen, Grotz, Hartmann, Hasall and Santos[7]
^abThe Liberal Party was split into two wings: those who supportedElpidio Quirino or the "Quirinitas" or the "Quirino wing", and those who supportedJose Avelino or the "Avelinistas" or the "Avelino wing".
^"The Magsaysay Story" (The John Day Company, 1956, updated – with an additional chapter on Magsaysay's death - re-edition byPocket Books, Special Student Edition, SP-18, December 1957)