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José Paciano Laurel y García was born on March 9, 1891 in the town of  Tanauan, Batangas. Batangas. His and Jacoba García García.. His father had been an official in the  parents were  were Sotero Laurel I  I and  revolutionary government of  Emilio Aguinaldo  Aguinaldo and a signatory to the  the 1898 Malolos Constitution..  Constitution While a teen, Laurel was indicted for attempted murder when he almost killed a rival suitor of finishing law school, school, he argued the girl he stole a kiss from with a  a  fan knife. knife. While studying and finishing  for and received an acquittal. acquittal.[1]  Laurel received his law degree from the  the  University of the Philippines Philippines  College of Law  Law in 1915, the Supreme where he studied under Dean  Dean George A. Malcolm, Malcolm, whom he would later succeed on the  Court.. He then obtained a  Court a Master of Laws Laws  degree from  from University of Santo Tomas  Tomas in 1919. Laurel then attended  attended Yale Law School, School, where he obtained his  his J.S.D.  J.S.D. degree. Laurel began his life in public service while a student, as a messenger in the Bureau of Forestry then as a clerk in the Code Committee tasked with the  codification codification  of Philippine laws. During his work for the Code Committee, he was introduced to its head, head,  Thomas A. Street, Street, a future [2] Supreme Court  Justice  who would be a mentor to the young Laurel. Laurel.   Court Justice Upon his return from  from Yale, Yale, Laurel was appointed first as Undersecretary of the Interior Department, then promoted as  as Secretary of the Interior  in 1922. In that post, he would frequently clash with the American  American Governor-General  Governor-General Leonard Wood, Wood, and eventually, in 1923 1923,, resign from his position together with other Cabinet members in protest of Wood's administration. admin istration. His clashes with Wood solidified Laurel's nationalist n ationalist credentials. Laurel was a member of the Philippine fraternity  fraternity Upsilon Sigma Phi. Phi.[3] 

Senator and Congressman of the Philippines[edit Philippines[ edit]] In 1925 Laurel was elected to the  the Philippine Senate. Senate. He would serve for one term before losing his re-election bid in 1931 to  to  Claro M. Recto. Recto.[4] He retired to private practice, but by 1934, he was again elected to public office, this time as a delegate to the 1935 Constitutional Convention. Hailed as one of the "Seven Wise Men of the Convention", he would sponsor the provisions on the Bill of Rights. Rights.[4] Following the ratification of the  the 1935 Constitution Constitution  and the establishment of the  Commonwealth of the Philippines, the Philippines, Laurel was appointed  appointed Associate Justice  Justice of the the  Supreme Court  on February 29, 1936. Court

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court[edit Court[ edit]] Laurel's Supreme Court tenure may have been overshadowed by his presidency, yet he remains one of the most important Supreme Court justices in Philippine history. He authored several leading cases still analyzed to this day that defined the parameters of the branches o off government as well as their powers.

 

 Angara v. Electoral Commission, (1936), which is considered as the Philippine Ph ilippine Commission, 63 Phil. 139 (1936), (1803), is Laurel's most important equivalent of  Marbury  Marbury v. Madison, Madison, 5 U.S. (1 Cranch) 137 (1803), contribution to jurisprudence and even the rule of law in the Philippines. In affirming that the Court had  had  jurisdiction  jurisdiction to review the rulings of the Electoral Commission organized under unde r the Assembly,, the Court, through Justice Ju stice Laurel's  Laurel's opinion opinion,, firmly entrenched the power of  National Assembly Philippine courts to engage in  in   judicial judicial review  review of the acts of the other branches branc hes of government, and to interpret the Constitution. Held the Court, through Laurel: The Constitution is a definition of the powers of government. Who is to determine the nature, scope and extent of such powers? The Constitution itself has provided for the instrumentality of the judiciary as the rational way. And when the judiciary mediates to allocate constitutional  boundaries, it does not assert any superiority over the other departments; it does not in reality nullify or invalidate an act of the legislature, le gislature, but only asserts the solemn and sacred obligation assigned to it by the Constitution to determine conflicting claims of authority under the Constitution and to establish for the parties in an actual controversy the rights which that instrument secures and guarantees to them. them .[5]  Another highly influential decision penned by b y Laurel was was   Ang Ang Tibay v. CIR CIR,, 69 Phil. 635 (1940). (1940).  The Court acknowledged in that case that the substantive and procedural requirements before  proceedings in administrative agencies, such as labor relations courts, were more flexible flexible than those in judicial proceedings. At the same time, the Court still asserted that the right to to  due  process of law  law must be observed, and enumerated the "cardinal primary rights" that must be respected in administrative proceedings. Since then, these "cardinal primary rights" have stood as the standard in testing due process claims in administrative cases. (1940)  was a seemingly innocuous case involving a challenge Calalang v. Williams, Williams, 70 Phil. 726 (1940) from  Manila  Manila streets during raised by a private citizen to a traffic regulation banning banning  kalesas  kalesas from certain afternoon hours. The Court, through Laurel, upheld the regulation as within the  the   police police  power  of the government. But in rejecting the claim that the regulation was violative of  social  justice,, Laurel would respond with what would become his most famous  justice famous  aphorism, aphorism, which is to this day widely quoted by judges jud ges and memorized by Filipino law students: Social justice is neither communism, nor despotism, nor atomism, nor anarchy, but the humanization of laws and the equalization of social and economic forces by the State so that  justice in its rational and objectively secular conception may at least be approximated. Social  justice means the promotion of the welfare of all the people, the adoption by the Government of measures calculated to insure economic stability of all the competent elements of society, through the maintenance of a proper economic and social s ocial equilibrium in the interrelations of the members of the community, constitutionally, through the adoption of measures legally  justifiable, or extra-constitutionally, extra-constitutionally, through the exercise of powers underlying the existence of all governments on the time-honored principle of  salus populi est suprema lex. lex . Social justice, therefore, must be founded on the recognition of the necessity of interdependence among divers and diverse units of a society and of the protection that should be equally and evenly extended to all groups as a combined force in our o ur social and economic life, con consistent sistent with the fundamental and paramount objective of the state of promoting the health, comfort, and quiet of all persons, and of bringing about "the greatest good to the greatest number .[6] 

 

Presidency[[edit] Presidency edit] Presidential styles of  

Jose P. Laurel  Reference style

His Excellency[7]

Spoken style

Your Excellency

Alternative style

 

Mr. President

 Main articles:  articles:  Japanese Japanese occupation of the Philippines  Philippines and  Second Philippine Republic  Republic 

Postage stamps issued by the Japanese-controlled Second Philippine Republic in commemoration of its first anniversary. Depicted on the stamps is President Laurel The presidency of Laurel understandably remains one of the most controversial in Philippine who?]  as a  a war history. After the war, he would be denounced by the pro-American sectors[who?] collaborator  or even a traitor, although his indictment for treason was superseded by  by President [8] Roxas' Amnesty Proclamation. Proclamation.  However, despite being one of the most infamous figures in Philippine history, he is also regarded as a Pan-Asianist Pan -Asianist who supported independence. When asked if he was pro-American or pro-Japanese, his answer would be pro-Filipino. [citation needed ] 

edit]]  Accession[[edit Accession

One of the many propaganda propagan da slogans made during the Laurel administration. Tagalog for "One Banner, One Nation, One Language".

 

to Bataan  Bataan and then to the United When Japan invaded, President  President Manuel L. Quezon  Quezon first fled to  States to establish a government-in-exile. Quezon ordered Laurel, Vargas and other cabinet members to stay. Laurel's prewar, close relationship with Japanese officials (a son had been sent to study at the  the Imperial Japanese Army Academy  Academy in Tokyo, and Laurel had received an honorary doctorate from Tokyo University), placed him in a good position to interact with the Japanese occupation forces. Laurel was among the Commonwealth officials instructed by the Japanese Imperial Army to form a provisional government when they invaded and occupied the country. He cooperated with the Japanese, in contrast to Chief Justice Ju stice  Abad Santos Santos,, who was shot for refusing to cooperate. cooperate .[9]  Because he was well-known to the Japanese as a critic of US rule, as well as having demonstrated a willingness to serve under the Japanese Military Administration, he held a series of high posts in 1942 – 1943. 1943. Under vigorous Japanese influence, the National Assembly selected Laurel to serve as President in 1943.

Domestic policies[ policies[edit] edit]  Economy[[edit] Economy edit] 

During Laurel's tenureheights. as President,  President,  hunger  was exerted the mainevery worry. Prices of essential commodities rose to unprecedented The government effort to increase production and  bring  consumers  bring consumers'' goods  goods under control. However, Japanese rapacity rapacit y had the better of it all. On the other hand,  hand, guerrilla  guerrilla activities and Japanese retaliatory measures brought the peace and order situation to a difficult point. Resorting to district-zoning and domiciliary searches, coupled with arbitrary arrests, the Japanese made the mission of Laurel's administration incalculably exasperating and perilous. perilous.[10]  Food shortage[ shortage[edit] edit] 

During his presidency, the Philippines faced a crippling food shortage which demanded much of Laurel's attention. attention.[11] Rice and bread were still available but the sugar supply was gone gone..[12] Laurel also resisted Japanese demands that the Philippines issue a formal declaration of war against the United States. He later was forced to declare decla re war on the USA and Great Britain as long as Filipinos would not have to fight.

Foreign policies[ policies[edit edit]]  Philippine-Japanese Treaty of Alliance[ Alliance[edit] edit] 

On October 20, 1943 the Philippine-Japanese Treaty of Alliance was signed by  by Claro M. Recto, Recto,  who was appointed by Laurel as his Foreign Minister, and Japanese Ambassador to Ph Philippines ilippines [10] Sozyo Murata. One redeeming feature was that no conscription was envisioned envisioned..   edit]]  Greater East Asia Conference[ Conference[edit

 

Greater East Asia Conference

 

Shortly after the inauguration of the Second Philippine Republic, President Laurel, together with cabinet Ministers Recto and Paredes flew to Tokyo to attend the  Greater East Asia Conference  Conference  which was an international summit held in Tokyo, Japan from November 5  –  6,  6, 1943, in which state  of various component members of the  the  Greater East Asia CoJapan hosted the  the heads of state Prosperity Sphere. Sphere. The conference was also referred re ferred to as the Tokyo Conference. Conference. The Conference addressed few issues of any an y substance, Eradication of Western Opium Drug the  Pan-Asianism  Pan-Asianism ideal and to Trade and to illustrate the  the Empire of Japan' Japan's commitments to the emphasize its role as the "liberator" of Asia from Western  Western  colonialism. colonialism.[13]  edit]]  Martial law law[[edit

Laurel declared the country under martial law in 1944 through Proclamation No. 29, dated September 21. 21.[14] Martial law came into effect on September 22, 1944 at 9 am.[citation needed ]. Proclamation No. 30 was issued the next n ext day, declaring the existence of a state of war between the Philippines and the United States and the United Kingdom. This took effect on September 23, 1944 at 10:00 A.M. A.M.[15] 

Resistance[[edit Resistance edit]]  Due to the nature of Laurel's government and its connection to Japan, much of the population presidency,[16] supporting the exiled  exiled Commonwealth government; government;[17] as can be actively  resisted  actively resisted his presidency, expected. However, this did not mean that his government did not have forces against the antiJapanese resistance and the ongoing Philippine Commonwealth military. military.[17]  edit]]  Assassination attempt attempt[[edit

On June 5, 1943, Laurel was playing golf at the  the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club  Club in [18] Mandaluyong when he was shot around four times with a  Mandaluyong  a  .45 caliber pistol pistol..  The bullets barely [18] them FEU  FEU  missed his heart and liver .  He was rushed by his golfing companions, among them  Sr.,, to the  the Philippine General Hospital Hospital  where he was operated by the  president   Nicanor  president Nicanor Reyes Sr. Chief Military Surgeon of the Japanese Military Administration and Filipino surgeons. surgeons. [18] Laurel enjoyed a speedy recovery. Two suspects to the shooting were reportedly reportedl y captured and swiftly executed by the the  Kempetai. Kempetai.[19]  Another suspect, a former boxer named Feliciano Lizardo, presented forunclear identification by the Japanese to Laurel at the latter's hospital bed, but Laurelwas then professed memory memo ry. .[19] 

 

However, in his 1953 memoirs, Laurel would admit that Lizardo, by then one of his bodyguards who had pledged to give his life for him, was indeed the would-be-assassin. would-be-assassin.[19] Still, the historian Agoncillo in his book on the Japanese occupation, identified a captain with a guerilla Teodoro Agoncillo  unit as the shooter .[19] 

Dissolution of the regime regime[[edit] edit] 

Airport  in 1945, along with with  Benigno Aquino Laurel (left) being taken into U.S. custody c ustody at  at Osaka Airport Sr.  (center) and José Laurel III. Sr. On July 26, 1945, the  the Potsdam Declaration  Declaration served upon Japan an ultimatum to surrender or face utter annihilation. The Japanese government refused the offer. On August 6, 1945,  1945, Hiroshima, Hiroshima,  with some 300,000 inhabitants, was almost totally destroyed by b y an  an atomic bomb  bomb dropped from an American plane. Two days later, the Soviet Union declared war against Japan and invaded on   Nagasaki. Nagasaki.  Manchuria..[20] The next day, August 9, 1945, a second atomic bomb was dropped on Manchuria The  Allied Forces The Forces'' message now had a telling effect: Japan unconditionally surrendered to the Allied Powers on August 15, 1945. 1945.[10]  Since April 1945, President Laurel, together with his h is family and Cabinet member  Camilo Osías, Osías,  Sr.,, Gen. Tomas Capinpin, and Ambassador  Jorge B. Vargas, Vargas, had been Speaker  Benigno Aquino Sr. to  Aparri  Aparri and thence, on in Japan. Evacuated from  from Baguio  Baguio shortly after the city fell, they traveled to   board Japanese planes, had been taken to Japan. Laurel was put in Sugamo prison then was later transferred to Nara for house arrest. On August 17, 1945, from Nara Hotel in  in   Nara, Nara, Japan, Japan,  President Laurel issued an Executive Proclamation which w hich declared the dissolution of his [10] regime..   regime President Laurel is the only Philippine president who served the three branches of government. He became a senator-congressman, associate justice and a president of the second republic.

Post-presidency[[edit] Post-presidency edit] edit]]  1949 presidential election[ election[edit On September 2, 1945, the Japanese forces formally  formally surrendered  surrendered to the United States. States.  Gen. Douglas MacArthur  ordered Laurel arrested for collaborating with the Japanese. In 1946 he was general  amnesty  amnesty  charged with 132 counts of  treason, treason, but he was never brought to trial due to the general

 

1948.[8] Laurel ran for president against  against  Elpidio Quirino  Quirino in granted by President  President Manuel Roxas  Roxas in 1948. 1949   but lost in what future Secretary of Foreign Affairs  Affairs Carlos P. Romulo Romulo  and Marvin M. Gray 1949 but [21] considered as the dirtiest election in Philippine electoral history. history.  

Return to the senate[ senate[edit edit]] 

Palace,, 1955. Clockwise, from top left: Senator left: Senator Edmundo Cea, Former President At Malacañan Palace Sr.,, President José P. Laurel Sr., Senator Primicias, Senate President  President  Eulogio A. Rodriguez Sr. Magsaysay, & House Speaker José B. Laurel Jr. Ramon F. Magsaysay, Laurel garnered the biggest votes and was elected to the  the Senate  Senate in in  1951, 1951, under the the  Nacionalista  Nacionalista Party.. He was urged to run Party ru n for President in 1953, but declined, working instead for the successful election of  Ramon Magsaysay. Magsaysay. Magsaysay appointed Laurel head of a mission tasked with negotiating trade and other issues with United States officials, the result being known k nown as the Laurel –   – Langley Langley Agreement. Agreement. 

edit]]  Retirement and death[ death[edit Laurel considered his election to the Senate as a vindication of his reputation. He declined to run for re-election in 1957. He retired from public life, concentrating con centrating on the development of the Lyceum of the Philippines  Philippines established by his family. During his retirement, Laurel stayed in a 1957 3-storey, 3 -storey, 7-bedroom mansion in in  Mandaluyong City,, dubbed "Villa Pacencia" after Laurel's wife. The home was one of three residences City constructed by the Laurel family, the other two being in in  Tanauan, Batangas Batangas  and in in  Paco, Manila Manila   (called "Villa Peñafrancia"). In 2008, the Laurel family sold "Villa Pacencia" to  to Ex-Senate [22] President  Manny Villar  and his wife  President wife Cynthia. Cynthia.   On November 6, 1959, Laurel died at the Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, in  in Manila Manila,,[23] from a massive heart attack and a stroke. He is buried in Tanauan, Batangas.

Honors[[edit Honors edit]] National Honor  

 

: Philippine Legion of Honor , Chief Commander - (1959)

 

Personal life[edit life[edit]] He married  married Pacencia Hidalgo Hidalgo  on April 9, 1911. 1911.[24] The couple had nine children:  

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Jr. (August 27, 1912  –  March José Laurel Jr.   March 11, 1998), member of the  the Philippine National Assembly  from  Assembly from Batangas Batangas  from 1943 to 1944, Congressman from  from  Batangas' Third District District   of Representatives from 1941 to 1957 and from 1972, the House the  the Philippines Philippines   from 1954 to 1961 1957 to and fromSpeaker 1967 toof 1971, Assemblyman of  Regularof Batasang Pambansa  Pambansa from 1984 to 1986, Member of the  the Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986  1986 from June 2 to October 15, 1986 and a running-mate of  Carlos P. Garcia  of the  Garcia the Nacionalista  Nacionalista Party  Party in Philippine presidential election of 1957, placed second in the vice-presidential race against  against  Diosdado Macapagal  Macapagal of  Liberal Party (Philippines)   (Philippines) III  (August 27, 1914  –  January  January 6, 2003) ambassador to Japan José Laurel III  Natividad Laurel  Laurel (born December 25, 1916) II  (September 27, 1918  –  September  September 16, 2009)  2009) Senator of the Philippines  Philippines  Sotero Laurel II tempore  from 1990 to 1992 from 1987 to 1992 became  became Senate President pro tempore Laurel (January 17, 1922  –  August Mariano Antonio Laurel   August 2, 1979) 1979)[25][26]  Laurel  (born January 9, 1925) Rosenda Pacencia Laurel

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Laurel-Yupangco  (born May 19, 1926) Potenciana "Nita" Laurel-Yupangco Laurel  (November 18, 1928  –  January  January 27, 2004)  2004) Senator of the Philippines  Philippines from Salvador Laurel 1967 to 1972,  1972, Prime Minister of the Philippines  Philippines from February 25 to March 25, 1986, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Philippines  from March 25, 1986 to February 2, 1987, Philippines  from February 25, 1986 to June 30, 1992 and a Vice President of the Philippines  presidential candidate of the  the Nacionalista  Nacionalista Party  Party in Philippine presidential election of 1992  placed seventh in the presidential race against  against Fidel V. Ramos  Ramos    Arsenio Laurel Laurel  (December 14, 1931  –  November  November 19, 1967) He was the first two-time Prix,, winning it consecutively in 1962 and 1963. winner of the  the Macau Grand Prix

   

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Laurel, grandson, President of  Lyceum of the Philippines University-Manila  Roberto Laurel, University-Manila and University-Cavite,, son of Sotero Laurel (3rd son of José P. Lyceum of the Philippines University-Cavite Laurel) Peter Laurel Laurel,, grandson, President of  Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas University-Batangas  and University-Laguna   Lyceum of the Philippines University-Laguna Carlos "Chuck" Perez Laurel, grandson Luis Marcos "Mark" Laurel Laurel,, grandson, lawyer, son of Sotero S otero Laurel (3rd son of José P. Laurel) Jose Bayani "JB" Laurel Jr., UNIDO Party list, grandson IV,, grandson, representative of the 3rd District of Batan Batangas, gas, son of  José B. José Laurel IV Laurel Jr.  Jr.  Laurel+, +, grandson, champion  champion race car  driver and first two-time winner of the Arsenio Laurel Prix  Macau Grand Prix  Francis grandsongrandson AntonioCastillo-Laurel, "Tony" Castillo-Laurel,

 

 

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Jose "Joey" C. Laurel V, grandson, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Philippine Ambassador to Japan Maria Mercedes "Ditas" Laurel-Marquez, granddaughter Maria Elena "Marilen" Laurel-Loinaz, granddaughter Christine C. Laurel, granddaughter Benjamin "Benjie" C. Laurel+, grandson Eduardo C. Laurel+, grandson Susanna "Susie" D. Laurel-Delgado, granddaughter Celine "Lynnie" D. Laurel-Castillo Francisco "Cocoy" D. Laurel, actor, singer and the Spain Iwi Laurel-Asensio Laurel-Asensio,, granddaughter, singer and entrepreneur Patty Laurel, MTV VJ  VJ  Laurel, granddaughter, TV host and former MTV  Camille Isabella I. Laurel, UNIDO Party list, great-granddaughter Ann Maria Margarette I. Laurel great-grand daughter Jose Antonio Miguel I. Laurel, great-grandson Franco Laurel, Laurel, great-grandson, singer and actor Rajo Laurel, great-grandson, fashion designer Laurel,, great-granddaughter, actress and singer Denise Laurel  Nicole Laurel-Asensio Laurel-Asensio,, great-granddaughter, lead singer of  General Luna  Luna  band. band.

See also[edit also[edit]]  

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Laurel Incident Incident  

edit]] Notes[[edit Notes 1.  ^ G.R. No. L-7037, March 15, 1912  1912   2.  ^ American Colonial Careerist, p. 104 3.  ^ Company, Fookien Times Publishing (1986).  (1986).  The Fookien Times Philippines Yearbook .   Fookien Times. Times. p. 226. 226.  ISBN   ISBN  9789710503506 .  a b 4.  ^     Justices of the Supreme Court, p. 175 2017.  5.  ^ "G.R. No. L-45081" . lawphil.net. Retrieved January 23, 2017.  6.  ^ "G.R. No. 47800 December 2, 1940 - MAXIMO CALALANG v. A. D. WILLIAMS" . WILLIAMS" .  chanrobles.com. Retrieved January 23, 2017.  2017.   from the original  on February 12, 7.  ^ "Official Program Aquino Inaugural (Excerpts)" . Archived from  2015.   2015. 8.  ^ a b "Proclamation No. 51, s. 1948 | GOVPH" . Official Gazette of the Republic of the 2019.   Philippines. Archived from  from the original  on March 21, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.  9.  ^ https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/about/gov/judiciary/sc/cj/jose-abad-santos/the-execution-of jose-abad-santos/  jose-abadsantos/   a b c  d  centuries . Manila: University of Sto. 10.  ^         Molina, Antonio. The Philippines: Through the centuries. Tomas Cooperative, 1961. Prin 11.  ^ By Sword and By Fire, p. 137  Joaquin, Nick 12.  ^ Joaquin, Nick (1990). Manila, My My Manila. Manila. Vera-Reyes, Vera-Reyes, Inc.  Inc.  (2003). The Modern History of Japan: From Tokugawa Times to the Present .  13.  ^ Gordon, Andrew (2003).  Oxford University Press. p. 211.  211. ISBN   ISBN  0-19-511060-9 0-19-511060-9.. Retrieved April 13, 2008.  2008. 

 

14.  ^ "Proclamation No. 29" . The Lawphil Project - Philippine Laws and Jurisprudence Databank.  Archived from  from the original  on September 26, 2017. Retrieved March 21, 2019.  2019.   "Proclamation No. 30" . The Lawphil Project - Philippine Laws and Jurisprudence Databank. 15.  ^ "Proclamation  Archived from  from the original  on March 21, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.  2019.  from the original  on August 22, 2006. Retrieved 16.  ^ "Philippine History" . DLSU-Manila. Archived from   January 27, 27, 2011. Japan's Japan's efforts efforts to win Filipino loyalty loyalty found found expression expression in the the establishment establishment (Oct. 14, 1943) of a "Philippine Republic", with José P. Laurel, former supreme court justice, as  president. But the people pe.ople suffered suffered greatly greatly from Japanese Japanese brutality, brutality, and the puppet government  gained little little support. support   17.  ^ a b Halili,  Halili, M.c. M.c. (2004).  (2004). Philippine  Philippine history history.. Rex Bookstore, Inc. pp. 235 – 241.  241.  ISBN  ISBN  978-971-233934-9.. Retrieved January 27, 2011.  3934-9 2011.  a b c  18.  ^       Ocampo, Ambeth  Ambeth (2000) [1995]. "The Irony of Tragedy". Bonifacio's Bolo (4th ed.). Pasig City: Anvil Publishing. p. 60.  60.  ISBN  ISBN  971-27-0418-1 971-27-0418-1..  a b c  d  19.  ^         Ocampo, Ambeth  Ambeth (2000) [1995]. "The Irony of Tragedy". Bonifacio's Bolo (4th ed.). Pasig 971-27-0418-1..  City: Anvil Publishing. p. 61.  61.  ISBN  ISBN  971-27-0418-1 20.  ^ Molina, Antonio. The Philippines: Through the centuries. centuries. Manila: University of Santo Tomas Cooperative, 1961. Print. 21.  ^ "Elpidio Quirino" . Retrieved August 9, 2009.  2009.  2008).  "Villars take over storied Laurel house on Shaw Blvd" . Philippine 22.  ^ Gerry Lirio (July 13, 2008).   Daily Inquirer. Inquirer. Archived Archived from  from the original  on February 9, 2009. Retrieved March 22, 2009.  2009.   23.  ^ Justices of the Supreme Court, p. 176 24. the Jose P. Laurel Papers  Papers     ^  Register Mariano of Antonio Laurel's Birth Register  25.   ^ Certificate  26.  ^ Mariano Laurel's Death Certificate 

Jose P. Laurel also elected as Congressman Con gressman prior to presidency. Please include in his political p olitical experience.

References[edit]]  References[edit    Laurel, Jose P. (1953). Bread and Freedom.  Freedom.     Zaide, Gregorio F. (1984). Philippine History and Government. National Bookstore

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 Printing Press.  Press.  Sevilla, Victor J. (1985). Justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines Vol. I. Quezon City, Philippines: New Day Publishers. pp. 79 – 80, 174 – 176. 176.  ISBN   ISBN  971-10-0134-9 971-10-0134-9..   Malcolm, George A. (1957). American Colonial Careerist. United States of America: America: Christopher Publishing House. pp. 103 – 104, 104, 96  – 97, 97, 139, 249 – 251.  251.   Aluit, Alfonso (1994). By Sword and Fire: The Destruction of Manila in World War War II  February 3  –  March  March 3, 1945. Philippines: National Commission for Culture and the Arts.  pp. 134 – 138.  138. ISBN   ISBN  971-8521-10-0. 971-8521-10-0.  Ocampo, Ambeth Ambeth  (2000) [1995]. "The Irony of Tragedy". Bonifacio's Bolo (4th ed.). 971-27-0418-1.   Pasig City: Anvil Publishing. pp. 60 – 61.  61.  ISBN  ISBN  971-27-0418-1. [1]  [1]  President of the Philippines José Paciano Laurel's address, Greater East Asia Conference,  November 5 – 6, 6, 1943  1943 

 

José P. Laurel

CCLH  

3rd  Philippines   3rd President of the Philippines

In office  office  October 14, 1943 – 1943 – August  August 17, 1945

Prime Minister

Jorge B. Vargas Vargas   (Ministries involved)

Preceded by

Manuel L. Quezon  Quezon (as President of government-in-exile)

Succeeded by

Sergio Osmeña Commissioner of the Interior   

 

In office  office  December 4, 1942 – 1942 – October  October 14, 1943

Presiding

Jorge B. Vargas

 

PEC   Officer,  PEC Officer,

Preceded by

Benigno Aquino Sr.

Succeeded by

Quintin Paredes

 

Commissioner of Justice

 

In office  office  December 24, 1941 – 1941 – December  December 4, 1942

Presiding

Jorge B. Vargas

 

Officer,  PEC  Officer, PEC 

Preceded by

Teofilo L. Sison

Succeeded by

Teofilo L. Sison

 

 

Senator of the Philippines  

In office  office  December 30, 1951 – 1951 – December  December 30, 1957 34th  Associate Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court  34th Court 

In office  office  February 29, 1936 – 1936 – February  February 5, 1942

Preceded by

George Malcolm

Succeeded by

Court reorganised

 

 

 

Majority leader of the Senate of the Philippines  

In office  office  1928 –  –1931 1931

Senate President

Manuel L. Quezon

Preceded by

Francisco Enage

Succeeded by

Benigno S. Aquino

 

 

Senator of the Philippin Philippines es  from the  the 5th Senatorial District  District 

In office  office  1925 – 1925  – 1931  1931 Served with:  with: Manuel L. Quezon  Quezon (1925 –  –1931) 1931)

Preceded by

Succeeded by

 Antero Soriano

Claro M. Recto

Secretary of the Interior of the Philippines  

In office  office  1922 –  –1923 1923

Personal details

Born

José Paciano Laurel García

March 9, 1891

 

Tanauan, Batangas, Batangas, Captaincy General of the Philippines  Philippines 

Died

November 6, 1959 (aged 68) Manila Manila,, Philippines Philippines  

Resting place

Tanauan, Batangas, Philippines Tanauan, Batangas,

Political party

Party (before 1942; 1945 – Nacionalista Party  1959)

Other political

KALIBAPI KALIBAPI  1942 –  –1945) 1945)

affiliations

Spouse(s)

Pacencia Hidalgo  Hidalgo  (m. 1911; died 1959)

Children

José B. Laurel Jr.  Jr.  III  José S. Laurel III  Natividad Laurel-Guinto Sotero Laurel II  II  Mariano Laurel Rosenda Laurel-Avanceña Potenciana Laurel-Yupangco Laurel  Salvador Laurel  Laurel    Arsenio Laurel

Education

LLB))  University of the Philippines, Diliman  Diliman (LLB LLM))  University of Santo Tomas(LLM SJD))  Yale University  University (SJD

Signature

 

Who is President Jose P. Laurel The Legend of the Laurel Family   It is said that many years ago, the eldest son of the Sultan of Brunei decided that court life was not for him. He was a restless young man, a brave warrior with such a fiery temper that he was known as Gat Masungit. Smitten by a wanderlust and yearning for exciting adventure across the seas, he took courage to beg his father to set him free of the responsibility of having to succeed him to the throne. The old man was disappointed he saw many admirable qualities in his son that would have made him a good leader but because he loved him dearly he released him and reluctantly let him have his way. The young prince then prepared for his journey and took sail heading northwards. He first came upon an island set among a cluster of other islands and settled there for a while naming the town, Batan. But, restless as he was he could not remain in one place and so he continued to sail north exploring every bit of land that he encountered. Finally he came upon a beautiful bay that was fringe by lush green foliage. Exploring further he discovered a placid lake with an island in its midst. He liked what he saw and decided to settle in this new paradise which he named Batangan. Years after he had settled in his new kingdom he bore a son who was named Gat Leynes who in turn bore a son who was Christianized and was named Miguel de la Cruz. Miguel was a noble young man who inherited his ancestors’ a ncestors’ fiery temper. He was imbued with a keen sense of justice so that he could not tolerate the injustices heaped upon his people by the Spanish conquerors. Reaching a breaking point he took to the hills and became a notorious outlaw who would take up the cudgels of the poor and the abused – who would punish their tormentors as he righted their wrongs. Endless streams of people would follow him wherever he went to ask him to help them seek justice and he was always ready to champion them. Then as the years passed he decided to live a more peaceful life  –  – to  to be with his wife and children – children  – away  away from the conflicts that had become his daily fare. But he could not leave the scene, for as long as there were injustices the people would seek Miguel de la Cruz to save them. One day, weary of his way of life, he pondered with his wife on how to get away from it all. His wife suggested, “Why not ask the priest, he might be able to help.” “What?” roared the descendant of Gat Masungit. “How can a man in skirts help me?” But his wife gently urged him to try since there seemed no other way out. So one moonless night, Miguel silently went to see the parish priest of Taal. He poured out the tale of his violent past. The priest listened quietly but intently. Miguel was surprised that the priest was not n ot shocked.  After he had finis finished hed he asked the priest for a solution. The priest smiled calmly and said, “The people people look for a Miguel de la Cruz to champion their cause – cause  – but  but what if Miguel de la Cruz should suddenly disappear? What if he ceases to be?” Miguel was puzzled, “How are we going to do that?” The priest continued, “Why not change your name and move on to another another place?” Miguel caught on, “What name shall I take, Padre?” he asked eagerly. The priest paused for a while, then tapping him on the shoulder he said, “Why not Laurel? It means honor – henceforth – henceforth live a life of honor, Miguel Laurel!”  Laurel!”  So that is how the first Laurel came to be. And that was when the legacy of honor was born. Dr. Jose P. Laurel, A Great Man  Born of notable but humble parents in Tanauan, Batangas on March 9, 1891, Dr. Jose Paciano Laurel y Garcia grew up in the midst of great nationalist struggles –  –first, first, the revolution against Spain; then, the war of independence against the United States. Four provincemates became famous for their roles in the Propaganda Movement and later as diplomats in Emilio  Aguinaldo’s First Philippine Republic– Republic–   Felipe Agoncillo in Europe, Galicano Apacible in Hongkong, Sixto Lopez in  America, and Apolinario Apolinario Mabini in the Philippin Philippines. es. His ow own n father, Sotero Laurel, was a distinguished ilustrado, [and] a lawyer who became the Malolos of [Congress ...]. The Laurel clan inbygeneral was inprotracted the thick of the Fil American War where delegate the valor to and patriotism the Batangueños were proven their famous resistance led by General Miguel Malvar. Jose P. Laurel’s own nationalism, in his political and professional professio nal life, no doubt developed from those early childhood memories of heroism and sacrifice. The Collaboration/Puppet Government Issue  The presidency of Dr. Jose P. Laurel remains to be one o ne of the most controversial issues in Philippine history. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 8, 1941, Dr. Laurel was ordered to remain in Manila by President Manuel L. Quezon, who fled to Corregidor Correg idor and then to the United States to establish a Commonwealth government in exile. Dr. Laurel was appointed a ppointed Secretary of Justice and was replaced by Jose Abad Santos in the Supreme Court. The Japanese Imperial Forces took over the country on January 2, 1942. Three weeks later, they created the Philippine Executive Commission Commission to govern the Philippines. They chose Jorge B. Vargas, former mayor of Manila and a member of Quezon’s cabinet, to head it. They made Laurel Commissioner of Justice and later Commissioner of the Interior.   His pre-war close relationship with Japanese officials (one of his sons studied at the Imperial Military Academy in Tokyo and Dr. Laurel received an honorary doctorate from Tokyo University), placed him in a good position to interact with the Japanese occupation forces. On September 25, 1943, the National Assembly made the decision to elect Dr. Laurel president and Benigno Aquino Sr. speaker. A week later, Dr. Laurel flew to Tokyo together with Benigno Aquino Sr. and Jorge Vargas to be awarded by the Emperor of Japan and to be informed by Premier Hideki Tojo of the guidelines of Philippine Independence.

 

The Japanese wanted Dr. Laurel to declare war against the United States and Great Britain. As the Allied forces led by General Douglas MacArthur, commander of the Allied Powers, came closer to the Philippines in the campaign to liberate our archipelago, the Japanese became more insistent on having Dr. Laurel issue a declaration of war. Dr. Laurel stood his ground but after the first American air raid on Manila occurred, the Japanese gave Dr. Laurel an ultimatum, threatening to kill as many Filipinos if he did not agree. Dr. Laurel consulted Manuel Roxas and other Filipino leaders before issuing a proclamation that the Philippine Republic was in a state of war against the United States and Great Britain. But he made it very clear in the proclamation that the Japanese government would never conscript Filipinos into the Japanese military. In October 14, 1943, the Japanese-sponsored Republic was inaugurated and it became an instrument of defense and a mighty fortress in the hands of President Laurel. He had all the Japanese guards and Japanese advisers ousted from Malacañang and asserted his right to the custody of Manuel Roxas, saying that they must first dispose of him before they could lay their hands on Roxas.  As the end of Japanese rule in the Philippines came near, the Japanese ordered Dr. Laurel and other Filipino high government officials to leave Manila for Baguio with their families. They were then brought to Japan as hostages. Dr. Laurel and other top officials of the Second Republic were in Nara when Japan surrendered to the Allied forces on  August 15, 1945. Two days later, Dr. Laurel dissolved the Japanese-sponsored Philippine Republic so that the government in Manila could be recognized. On September 14, he cabled General MacArthur and told him his whereabouts. The next day, officers were sent to arrest Dr. Laurel, ex-Speaker Aquino and Jose B. Laurel III. On September 15, 1945, Dr. Laurel was imprisoned in Japan. He was not allowed to have any reading material except The World in 2030 A.D., a book by the Earl of Birkenhead given to him as a gift by his son, Salvador. Deprived of writing instruments, Dr. Laurel used this book to surreptitiously write his War Memoirs. In Manila, Dr. Laurel, charged with collaboration, had to face the People’s Court. His His trial  trial and those of the other accused Filipinos dragged on. When Manuel Roxas was elected president of the Third Philippine Republic, he issued a proclamation on January 28, 1948 granting amnesty to political and economic collaborationists. Hence, Dr. Jose P. Laurel, Claro M. Recto, Camilo Osias, Jorge B. Vargas and many others regained their freedom. In the years after his release Dr. Laurel was still suspected of being a collaborationist. Those who disliked him, including  Americans displeased by his stand against the parity-amendment in the Philippine Constitution (granting Americans the same economic rights as Filipinos), used the media to calumniate him. Most likely the result of the anti-Laurel campaign as well as of massive cheating, Dr. Laurel lost when he ran for presidency under the Nacionalista Party against Elpidio Quirino of the Liberal Party in the 1949 elections. Dr. Laurel continued being a senator until 1957 when he retired from political life and concentrated on being an educator.

Jose P. Laurel: Biographical Sketch   Among Filipino leaders who domina dominated ted the nationa nationall stage during the first s six ix decades o off the 20th century, the one one who most deserves the title of philosopher of democracy and economic nationalism is the late Dr. Jose P. Laurel. Many Filipinos in those eventful decades spoke and wrote of democracy as well as of economic nationalism, in the political, academic and educational fields, with competence and sometimes brilliance, but none presented or committed to print a whole body of ideas, beliefs, and convictions on these two great issues of the world of the 20th century better or more comprehensively than the Sage of Tanauan whose name literally became a by-word in Philippine politics, education, and economics in the years following t he establishment of Philippine Independence. More than any of his contemporaries, Dr. Laurel understood clearly the problem that democracy must need to face in a Philippines that was for the first time politically sovereign since the Filipinos’ brief exper ience exper ience with this form of government and political faith in 1898 to 1899. More than any of his contemporaries, Dr. Laurel also understood sharply the role of economic and cultural nationalism in the building of a democratic society in a developing country which is heir to all the defects and weaknesses caused by long centuries of domination by Western powers. Who was Jose P. Laurel? Whence W hence came his keen understanding of the many-sided problems of the Filipino nation in the social, economic, cultural, and political spheres? Jose Paciano Laurel –the  –the Paciano was in honor of Dr. Jose P. Rizal’s elder brother who became a general in the Revolution of 1896 – born  – born in Tanauan, Batangas on March 9, 1891. His father was Don Sotero Laurel and his mother was Doña Jacoba Garcia, both of Tanauan. Don Sotero himself a revolutionary, having served as Secretary of the Interior in the Revolutionary Cabinet of General Emilio Aguinaldo, and was a signatory of the Malolos Constitution. Taken prisoner during the Filipino-American War, Don Sotero died while in concentration in 1902, when Jose Paciano was only 11 years old. Young Jose, industrious and energetic though a town pillo since his youngest years, worked part-time as a chorister and altar boy, in order to earn some pocket money. When he was 18, and a third year student in high school, he got a  job as temporary temporary clerk and part-time laborer in tthe he Bureau of Forestry wit with h a wage of 40 centavos centavos for half a day. A year later, he was promoted to a clerk-ship in the Code Committee. Here he met an American who was to influence his thinking and early career   –  –the the able and noble-minded Thomas Atkins Street, who later became a member of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

 

 After finishing high high school in 1 1911, 911, the adventurou adventurous s youth assum assumed ed two heavy responsibil responsibilities. ities. He took a wife, elopin eloping g with a pretty Tanauan belle, Paciencia Hidalgo, and at the same time enrolled in the College of Law of the University of the Philippines. These responsibilities did not prevent him from graduating the second in his class of 60 and from coming out as the second notcher in the 1915 Bar Examinations Examinations.. In 1919, while holding the position of Chief of the Administration Division of the Executive Bureau, he obtained the degree of Licenciado en Jurisprudencia from the Escuela de Derecho in Manila. In the same year he was sent as a government pensionado to Yale University where he obtained the degree of Civil Law in 1920. He was admitted to the Bar by the Supreme Court of the United States and the Supreme Court of the District of Columbia the same year. Before returning to the Philippines in 1921, he traveled extensively throughout the United States and took special courses in International Law at Oxford University in England and at the University of Paris in France. With such academic distinctions, rare in those days among Filipinos, Dr. Laurel was upon his return appointed Chief of the Executive Bureau. In 1922, Dr. Laurel was promoted to Undersecretary of the Interior and ten months later was made full Secretary by Governor-General Leonard Wood. It was while serving as Secretary of the Interior that he first showed his nationalism by upholding the dignity of the Filipino in the celebrated Conley Case and the Cabinet Crisis of 1923.  After resigning from the Cabinet, Laurel opened a law office, taught in various law schools in Manila, and began his long career as a publicist in the course of which he was to write something like 50 books and treatises covering a wide variety of subjects. In 1924 he was elected Senator of the Fifth District and became Majority Floor Leader. In the Constitutional Convention of 1934 to 1935, Laurel was elected as a delegate of Batangas. He headed the committee on the Bill of Rights and aside from that was named a member of the Committee of Seven which was given the task of hammering into shape the final draft of the Constitution. President Quezon later appointed Laurel to the Supreme Court and Tanauan’s distinguished lawyer soon was attracting wide attention for his humanistic interpretation of law, his erudite dissenting opinions, and his philosophical definition of Social Justice. Justice Laurel was shifted by President Quezon once more; this time to the Cabinet as Secretary of Justice. He was holding this position when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 8, 1941 and the Man of Destiny from Tanauan was hurled into the vortex of a world struggle. Laurel, easily the most astute, circumspec circumspect, t, and courageous among men around President Quezon when the Pacific War broke out and the Philippines was invaded by Japan, was left to match wits with the Japanese and to do all he could to minimize the rigors of an enemy occupation. For Dr. Laurel’s role during the enemy occupation, he was awarded the Philippine Legion of Honor, Degree of Commander, thus symbolizing the official attitude and evaluation of the government itself with respect to his difficult role during the Japanese Occupation. But even before that, Laurel had already been amply vindicated by the people themselves in three national elections, in 1949, 1951, and 1953 when the voters of the Philippines endorsed enthusiastically the noble and courageous acts and decisions of the Filipino leader who steered the nation safely, and with self-abnegation, during more than three difficult years. In 1952, Laurel together with a number of his colleagues, founded the Lyceum of the Philippines of which he was the first president. When he decided to retire from public office in 1957 upon expiration of his term in the Senate, he devoted his time to the Lyceum of the Philippines and the Philippine Banking Corporation which he organized in 1957. He was concurrently president and chairman of the Board of the Lyceum of the Philippines and the Philippine Banking Corporation when he died on November 6, 1959. In recognition of his distinguished performance in the public service Laurel was conferred various awards and distinctions by different sectors both here and abroad. Among these are Medallion, Knight Commander   –  –Grand Grand Cross of the Knights of Rizal; Medal, Kapulungan Sa Wika, Lions International; Distinguished Service Award, Philippine  Association of School Superintendents; Tribute of Honor, Courageous Champion of Justice from the Philippine  Association of Doctors of Civil Law; Man of the Year, 1953, Philippines Free Press. Among awards and distinctions from abroad conferred him are: Medallion, Instituto de Cultura Hispanica, Miembro de Honor; Medallion, A La Lealtad  Agrisolada, Isabela La Catolica; M Medallion, edallion, King Frederic IX of Denmark; 2 M Medallions, edallions, First Cl Class ass Order of the Rising Sun.  – Adapted   Adapted from from tthe he arti article cle “Jo “Jose se P Paciano aciano Laurel: P Philosopher hilosopher of Dem Democracy ocracy and Nati Nationalism” onalism” by Dean Jose A A.. Lan Lansang sang and Prof. Franklin A. Morales. 

About the Death of Dr. JPL  In the afternoon of November 5, 1959, Dr. Laurel fainted at around 1:30 p.m., on this date as he had just come out of the Philippine Banking Corporation Building Building at Escolta, Manila. He was then rushed to the Lourdes Hospital in Mandaluyong where he eventually died due to cerebral hemorrhage at around 1:00 in the morning of November 6, 1959. On a Sunday, November 9, 1959, simple ceremonies marked the funeral of Dr. Jose P. Laurel at the family lot in the cemetery of his native town of Tanauan, Batangas.