Jose P. Laurel (1891-1959)
Dates : Born on March 09, 1891
Died on November 6, 1959
Birthplace: Tanauan, Batangas
Parents : Sotero Laurel and Jacoba Garcia
Sotero Laurel (father) - Licentiate in Jurisprudence, University of Santo Tomas; Justice of the Peace under the Spanish and American Regime; Secretary of the Interior of General Aguinaldo's revolutionary government; and member of the Malolos Congress.
Jacoba Garcia (mother)
Spouse : Paciencia Hidalgo
Children : (from the eldest to the youngest)
Jose Bayani Junior (Pepito) - 1st son, born on August 27, 1912; LI.B.;
LI.M.; D.C.L.; Attorney; and Professor
of Law.
Jose Sotero III (Pepe) - 2nd son, born on August 27, 1914;
Graduate, Japanese Imperial Military
Academy; First Lieutenant, Philippine
Army and Aide-de-Camp to His
Excellency, the President of the
Natividad (Nene) - 1st daughter, born on December 25,
1916.
Sotero Cosme (Teroy) - 3rd son, born on September 27, 1918;
LI.B.; LI.M.; and J.S.D.
Mariano Antonio (Maning) - 4th son, born on January 17, 1922.
Rosenda Pacencia (Rose) - 2nd daughter, born on January 9, 1925.
Potenciana (Nita) - 3rd and youngest daughter, born on
May 19, 1926.
Salvador Roman (Doy) - 5th son, born on November 18, 1928.
Arsenio (Dodgie) - 6th and youngest son, born on
December 14, 1931.
Descendants
Several of Laurel
§ Francis Laurel s the grandson and President of an oil company.
§ Franco Laurel is the great grandson and singer-stage actor.
§ Rajo Laurel is the great grandson and fashion designer
§ Patty Laurel is the granddaughter and TV host/former MTV VJ
§ Denise Laurel is the great granddaughter and actress/TV personality.
§ Cocoy Laurel is grandson and actor.
§ Iwi Laurel-Asensio is a granddaughter and former singer/TV host
§ Peter Laurel is a grandson and former president of Lyceum of the Philippines Batangas City
§ Paolo Laurel is the great grandson and is currently undertaking a Masters in Commerce degree in Melbourne , Australia
Residence : The old 625 Peñafrancia, Paco, Manila
Achievements and Honors
» Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
» Senator (by district and at-large)
» President of the Second Philippine Republic
No other Filipino leader has had the honor of serving with distinction in all branches of government--judicial, legislative and executive--as Jose P. Laurel did. History will always remember his labors as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Senator and President of the Second Republic
Professorial Career
» Chancellor, National Teachers College
» Founder and First President, Lyceum of the Philippines
» Member, Law Faculty:
Philippine Law, Lacson College
Faculty of Law, University of Santo Tomas
» Professorial Lecturer on Municipal Government and Municipal Problems, Department of Political Science, College of Liberal Arts, University of the Philippines
» Professorial Lecturer in Comparative Constitutional Law and Law Reform (Post-graduate), University of Santo Tomas
Jose P. Laurel was by profession an educator, in addition to his multi-sided career as statesman, practicing lawyer, jurist and scholar. In private life, he was a moralist, humanist, musician (a virtuoso with five-string instruments), sportsman (an ace in golf), administrator, and family man.
Academic Background
» Elementary, Tanauan, Batangas; San Juan de Letran
» Secondary, Manila High School (Araullo High School
» A.B., La Regeneracion (University of Santo Tomas ), Manila
» (1915) LI. B., College of Law , University of the Philippines , Manila
» (1919) LI.M., Escuela de Derecho, Manila
» (1920) D.C.L., Yale University , New Haven , Connecticut , United States
» (1920) Special Studies, Sorbonne University , Paris
» (1920) Special Studies, Oxford University , United Kingdom
» (1936) Ph.D., University of Santo Tomas , Manila
» (1938) LI.D., Tokyo University , Japan
Jose P. Laurel was an honor law student at U.P. and was awarded a set of expensive law books for submitting the best thesis. He placed second in the bar examinations of 1915 and then won a scholarship as government pensionado to study in the United States. At Yale, his dissertation on Constitutional Law was adjudged the best. He was among the first Filipinos to win academic honors abroad during his time and was admitted to the prestigious District of Columbia Bar. He was accorded the honor of practicing his law profession before the United States Supreme Court.
Public Service
» (1909) Temporary Clerk (Messenger), Bureau of Forestry
» (1912-1914) Permanent Clerk, Code Commission
» (1915) Permanent Clerk, Executive Bureau
» (1918) Chief Clerk, Law Division, Executive Bureau
» (1921) Chief Clerk, Administrative Division, Executive Bureau
» (1922) Undersecretary, Department of the Interior
» (1923) Secretary, Department of the Interior
» (1925) Senator and Floor Leader, Philippine Senate Congress
» (1934-1935) Delegate and Temporary Chairman, Constitutional Convention
» (1936) Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the Philippines
» (1936) Member, Electoral Commission
» (1939) Member, Moral Code Committee
» (1941) Vice-Chairman, Code Committee
» (1941) Acting Secretary, Department of Justice
» (1941) Chief Justice, Supreme Court
» (1942) Commissioner, Department of Justice
» (1942) Commissioner, Department of the Interior
» (1943-1945) President, Second Philippine Republic
Jose P. Laurel began his public career at the Bureau of Forestry as a part-time laborer. As Secretary of the Interior (the youngest in Philippine history; 32 years old) under Governor-General Leonard Wood, he resigned as a protest over Wood's controversial reinstatement of dismissed Manila Police American detective, Ray Conley into the service (the 1923 cabinet crisis during the administration of Governor-General Wood).
As a Constitutional Convention Delegate (1934), he took the initiative in the making of the Constitution of the Philippines
As President of the Philippines
As Senator of the Third Republic , he authored the Rizal Law (requiring the reading in all schools of Jose Rizal's novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo) and was chief negotiator of the Laurel-Langley Trade agreement between the Philippines and the United States
Memberships
» Member of the Bar, United States Supreme Court, District of Columbia and the Philippines
» Member of the Institute de Droit Internationale Publique, Paris , France
» Member of the Board of Directors, Philippine Academy of Social Sciences
» Former President and Vice-President, Lawyers' League of the Philippines
» Former President, Yale Alumni Association
» Member of the Board of Citizens, University of the Philippines
» (1935) Most Distinguished Alumni, University of the Philippines
» (1940-1941) First Vice-President, University of the Philippines
» (1940-1941) President, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
» Member, Aklatang Bayan
» Member, Wack-Wack Golf and Country Club
Other Awards and Distinctions
» Medallion, Knight Commander, 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, Philippine Association of Doctors of Civil Law
» (1953) Man of the Year, Philippines
» Medallion, Miembro de Honor, Instituto de Cultura Hispanica
» Medallion, A La Lealtad Agrisolada, Isabela La Catolica
» Medallion, King Frederic IX of Denmark
» 2 Medallions, First Class, Order of the Rising Sun
Three other of Laurel's children would become prominent in politics and business. Sotero Cosme (Teroy), named after Laurel's own father, was elected to the Senate from 1987 to 1992; Jose Sotero III (Pepe) became Ambassador to Japan; and Mariano H. Laurel became president of the Philippine Banking Corporation. The youngest son, Arsenio (Dodjie) earned fame in a wholly different field as a race car driver, but he died young in a racing accident.
Books Written by Dr. Jose P. Laurel
Pro Deo Et Patria (For God and Country)
Ang Bayan Higit sa Lahat (The Country Above All)
Jose P. Laurel's Filipinism
Jose P. Laurel on Freedom
Jose P. Laurel on Nationalism
Jose P. Laurel on Leadership
The Cheerful Teacher
A Friendly Advise
Political Career
Senator of the Philippines
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
Domestic Policies
Economy
Food Shortage
Foreign Policies
Philippine-Japanese Treaty of Alliance
Martial law
Life
José Paciano Laurel was born on March 9, 1891 in the town of Tanauan, Batangas. His parents were Sotero Laurel, Sr. and Jacoba García. His father had been an official in the revolutionary government of Emilio Aguinaldo and a signatory to the 1898 Malolos Constitution.
Laurel was married to Pacencia Hidalgo in 1911, and had nine children. Several of his children became famous politicians in their own right. His eldest son, Jose Bayani, Jr. (Pepito), became Speaker of the House of Representatives and a candidate for vice-president in 1957 (Jose Macario Laurel, the eldest son of Jose B. Laurel, was a former Batangas Representative). His younger son, Salvador Roman (Doy), was Vice-President from 1986 to 1992.Three other of Laurel's children would become prominent in politics and business. Sotero Cosme (Teroy), named after Laurel's own father, was elected to the Senate from 1987 to 1992; Jose Sotero III (Pepe) became Ambassador to Japan; and Mariano H. Laurel became president of the Philippine Banking Corporation. The youngest son, Arsenio (Dodjie) earned fame in a wholly different field as a race car driver, but he died young in a racing accident.
Books Written by Dr. Jose P. Laurel
(Sorted by the date of publication)
1. The Election Law Annoted - Manila: Bureau of Printing, 1922.
2. Cases on Municipal Corporations - Manila: Oriental Comm. Company, 1924.
3. Cases on Constitutional Law - Manila: Bureau of Printing, 1925.
4. Election Law of the Philippine Islands - Manila: Oriental Comm. Company, 1925.
5. Local Government in the Philippine Islands - Manila: La Pilarica Publication, 1926.
6. Political Law Review Questions and Notes - (Includes extraordinary legal remedies on the subject of municipal corporation) Manila: Oriental Comm. Company, 1926.
7. The Law of Elections of the Philippine Islands - Manila: Oriental Comm. Company, 1928.
8. Assertive Nationalism: A Collection of Articles and Address on Local Problems - Manila: National Teachers College Manila, 1931, reprinted 1991. 221p.
9. The Election Law - Manila: Cecilio Press, 1931. 966p.
10. The Election Law and Amendatory Acts - Manila: Cecilio Press, 1931.
His Thoughts
Pro Deo Et Patria (For God and Country)
The Ten Basic Principles of Jose P. Laurel
1. I believe in one Eternal God, Creator and Sustainer of the Universe.
2. There is no power but of God: The powers that be are ordained of God.
3. I am a Christian and as such hold that every man is man's brother and equal. I am against any discrimination on account of race, creed or color.
4. Man lives in a triple world: physical, intellectual and moral. To live a purposive and fruitful life he must abide by the laws that govern this triple world.
5. The foundation of good government is morality: The basis of morality is righteousness which is divine.
6. Freedom is a divine endowment and is not a matter of grant or concession by the earthly powers that be.
7. The fruitful enjoyment of freedom does not depend upon any fixed political formula but upon the observance of freedom's own inherent limitations.
8. The essence of republicanism is popular representation and control. Republicanism vitalized by state socialism is the best form of government for the Filipinos in this epoch.
9. Until the unity of religion is achieved, the Church and the State must remain completely apart and separate.
10. Not mere material prosperity or physical prowess but intellectual development and moral perfection should be the Goal. National planning is essential if the Philippines is to extricate herself from her present condition of helplessness and puppetry and if she is to play a more effective role in the moral integration of the world and the establishment of universal peace.
-- Written in Sugamo Prison, Tokyo
Ang Bayan Higit sa Lahat (The Country Above All)
The Nationalist Thoughts of Jose P. Laurel
» The foundation of good leadership is morality, and the basis of morality isrighteousness... righteousness means devotion to truth and justice; it is fortitudeand benevolence; it is courage in action.
» What we need as a people is a renovation of our sense of values, a re-awakening of our moral sensibilities, a turning back to the old but simple Christian principle ofcaring for the welfare of others...
» The crying need of the hour for economic well-being and security--bread with freedom, liberty with security--will then be met, as it must, but always through the means and exertions anchored on respect for the worth and uniqueness of the individual in an organized society.
» In the midst of confusion... the Filipino youth are called upon to take a vigilant and militant attitude towards public questions confronting the country and contribute in their own way to the formation of a vigorous and courageous public opinion.
» In the Philippines... we have abundant resources, gifted to us by a generous Providence, we have idle manpower by the millions, we have a population... which our land and resources can comfortably sustain. The challenge to this generation, therefore, is to put our available manpower to work on the resources of the country to produce abundance enough for all, but also in the fullest atmosphere of freedom. The most that we can do... is to be able to launch and assist in the best way we can our young champions of integrity and patriotism, of genuine love for the common people... As they strive ceaselessly in unseflish dedication and with the good of the greatest number steady in their mind's vision, I am confident that they will succeed.
Jose P. Laurel's Filipinism
The Political Philosophy of Dr. Jose P. Laurel
Filipinism is the assertion of one's national birthright with patriotism defined as love of country as a primary element. It takes the form of a passion for self-development alone. A colonized people cannot hope to be developed by its masters except along lines that suit the vanity and cupidity of the masters. For a nation to find itself and its souls and achieve its God-given destiny, it has to develop itself with as little help from outsiders as possible.
The supreme ideal is to have one flag, one heart, one soul, one language.
An outstanding attribute of Filipinism is civic duty and social responsibility motivated by national self-respect. By loving justice and greatness, the people must make themselves worthy of reforms then effectuate the necessary reforms and finally make sure that the sun of liberty shines undimmed over the whole nation.
Filipinism means to make a deep and thorough study of the social and economic problems of the self-help efforts.
For Filipinism to prosper...
We must drink deep from the rich stream of Philippine history.
We must study the lives of Philippine heroes like Mabini, Rizal, Bonifacio, Tandang Sora, Del Pilar, Lopez Jaena, Jacinto, Luna, Burgos.
We must love and appreciate Philippine traditions.
We must make ourselves familiar with Philippine geography, economy, society, and politics.
We must study, learn, appreciate, and love our country, the Philippines, together with her culture, and all she stands for.
Filipinism is the universality and love for the common people. It is the mainspring of all good Filipinos' efforts to bring about social, political, and economic reforms.
Filipinism is incorruptible love of country and people, the courageous taking up of the cause of the people and heedful of their cries, uniting of one's self with them.
No other people can love the Philippines better than the Filipinos themselves.
Jose P. Laurel on Freedom
Freedom not slavery nor subjection nor subservience to the will of another is the natural God-given status of a man and of a nation.
A nation fights for independence and tries to achieve the maximum of safety, and not only because it is its God-given right to be independent and free from molestation but because, without freedom and security it does not have full opportunity to work out its own destiny nor will it have fair and ample opportunities to develop its own resources for its own benefit, and the capabilities of its citizens for their happiness and success.
The fruitful enjoyment of freedom does not depend upon any fixed political formula but upon the observance of its inherent limitations.
To live a purposive life, man must abide by the laws that govern his phyical, intellectual, and spirituo-moral life.
Jose P. Laurel on Nationalism
Love of country is not shown by words but by deeds... not an occassional virtue to be exhibited now and then. It is an unflinching determination to serve and defend one's country at all times and at all costs.
A nation will not long endure if it is wrought in the midst of foreign and exotic ideals. Just as a tree will not grow straight, strong, and luxuriant unless it is native to the soil and air, so a nation will not acquire girth and strength unless its roots are planted deep in its own traditions.
Nationalism should not be permitted to degenerate into jingoism or anti-foreignism or a fanatical rejection of foreign influences that are useful, desirable, and conducive to speedier economic progress or to the surer preservation of free institutions.
We, the Filipinos today, are a free people. We should think and act as free men not freed men. We must confidently and courageously depend upon ourselves... fully assume the grave responsibility of seeking, devising, carrying out, and maintaining what's best for our people.
Jose P. Laurel on Leadership
Government is duty-bound to safeguard the health of the people, to render justice to all, to provide adequate defense and security, extend equal opportunities for advancement of all who are under its jurisdiction, to promote international cooperation and encourage universal education.
Leadership must exist because it is vital to society... necessary for the immediate welfare of all the component elements of the society.
The Leader must lead towards definite objectives whether material or spiritual. It is not merely a command and obedience. The leader confines himself to people, lives with them, understands them, and develops and progresses with them. His ideas must lead, but his heart must follow.
The foundation of good leadership is morality and the basis of morality is righteousness. The true leader neither tolerates nor connives with those who easily fall prey to the temptations of wealth, power, and glory. He is devoted to truth and justice, fortitude and benevolence, courage in action...
The Cheerful Teacher
Teaching is a noble profession.
A selfless teacher toiling uncomplainingly, diligently in abnegation makes ours a happy world.
At break of dawn, this meek moulder of man's character faces the day with renewed faith and enthusiasm in his noble mission to enlighten the plastic minds of the youth of the land.
At dusk, when the day's work becomes a prelude to another, a teacher smiles with pride and in solid contentment--for he has unselfishly contributed his just share to the cause of PUBLIC SERVICE.
In the deep silence of night, he burns his oil for the next lesson plan that will forge man's primitive instincts on the anvil of learning and equal opportunity.
Within the four walls of the classrom, he radiates wisdom, understanding and cheerfulness, by destiny, he is a maker of future citizens.
And like Him, unswayed by misgivings, "unawed by opinion, unseduced by flattery, undismayed by disaster", a cheerful teacher leads a full life of love, courage and Christian hope.
A teacher has every reason to be cheerful,
He has a beautiful soul.
All honor to Him!
A Friendly Advise
Be reserved, but not sour;
Grave, but not formal;
Bold, but not rash;
Humble, but not servile;
Patient, but not insensible;
Constant, but not obstinate;
Cheerful, but not light;
Rather, be sweet-tempered than familiar;
Familiar, rather than intimate;
And intimate with very few, and on
Good ground with all around you.
Senator of the Philippines
In 1925 he was elected to the Philippine Senate. He would serve for one term before losing his re-election bid in 1931 to Recto. 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. Following the ratification of the 1935 Constitution and the establishment of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Laurel was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Court on February 29, 1936.
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court
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 of government as well as their powers.
Presidency
Accession
Manuel L. Quezon, who fled to Bataan and then to the United States to establish a government-in-exile. His prewar, close relationship with Japanese officials (a son had been sent to study at the Imperial Military 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 the decision of Filipino Chief Justice Abad Santos against collaboration. It was because of his being well-known to the Japanese as a critic of US rule, as well as his demonstrated willingness to serve under the Japanese Military Administration, that he held a series of high posts in 1942-1943. In 1943, he was shot by Philippine guerillas while playing golf at Wack Wack Golf and Country Club, but he quickly recovered. Later that year, he was selected, by the National Assembly, under vigorous Japanese influence, to serve as President.
Program implemented
Domestic Policies
Economy
During Laurel's tenure as President, hunger was the main worry. Prices of essential commodities rose to unprecedented heights. The government exerted every effort to increase production and bring consumers' goods under control. However, Japanese rapacity had the better of it all. On the other hand, 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 asserts, the Japanese made the mission of Laurel's administration incalculably exasperating and perilous.
Food Shortage
During his presidency, the Philippines faced a crippling food shortage which demanded much of Laurel's attention.[4] Laurel also resisted in vain Japanese demands that the Philippines issue a formal declaration of war against the United States. There were also reports during his presidency of the Japanese military carrying out rape and massacre towards the Filipino population.
KALIBAPI
Telling of Laurel's ambivalent and precarious position is the following anecdote. In 1944, Laurel issued an executive order organizing the Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas (KALIBAPI) as the sole political organization to back the government. An attempt was made to organize a women's section of the KALIBAPI, and Laurel hosted several women leaders in Malacañang Palace to plead his case. After he spoke, a university president, speaking in behalf of the group, responded, "Mr. President, sa kabila po kami". ("Mr. President, we are on the other side.") Laurel joined the others assembled in hearty laughter and the KALIBAPI women's section was never formed.
Foreign Policies
Philippine-Japanese Treaty of Alliance
On October 20, 1943 the Philippine-Japanese Treaty of Alliance was signed by Claro M. Recto, who was appointed by Laurel as his Foreign Minister, and Japanese Ambassador to Philippines Sozyo Murata. One redeeming feature was that no conscription was envisioned.
Martial law
Laurel declared the country under martial law in 1944 through Proclamation No. 29, dated September 21. Martial law came into effect on September 22, 1944 at 9am. Proclamation No. 30 was issued the next 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 am.
Post-Presidency Presidential candidate and Senator
On August 15, 1945, the Japanese forces surrendered to the United States. Gen. Douglas MacArthur ordered Laurel arrested for collaborating with the Japanese. In 1946 he was charged with 132 counts of treason, but was never brought to trial due to the general amnesty granted by President Manuel Roxas in 1948. Laurel ran for president against Elpidio Quirino in 1949 but lost in what was then considered as the dirtiest election in Philippine electoral history.
Laurel was elected to the Senate in 1951, under the Nacionalista Party. He was urged upon to run for President in 1953, but he declined, working instead for the successful election of Ramon Magsaysay. Magsaysay appointed Laurel head of a mission tasked with negotiating trade and other issues with United States officials, the result being known as the Laurel-Langley Agreement.
On August 15, 1945, the Japanese forces surrendered to the United States. Gen. Douglas MacArthur ordered Laurel arrested for collaborating with the Japanese. In 1946 he was charged with 132 counts of treason, but was never brought to trial due to the general amnesty granted by President Manuel Roxas in 1948. Laurel ran for president against Elpidio Quirino in 1949 but lost in what was then considered as the dirtiest election in Philippine electoral history.
Laurel was elected to the Senate in 1951, under the Nacionalista Party. He was urged upon to run for President in 1953, but he declined, working instead for the successful election of Ramon Magsaysay. Magsaysay appointed Laurel head of a mission tasked with negotiating trade and other issues with United States officials, the result being known as the Laurel-Langley Agreement.
Retirement and death
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 on the development of the Lyceum of the Philippines established by his family.
During his retirement, Laurel stayed in a 3-story, 7-bedroom mansion dubbed as "Villa Pacencia", erected in 1957 at Mandaluyong and named after Laurel's wife. The home was one of three residences constructed by the Laurel family, the other two being located in Tanauan and in Paco, Manila (called "Villa Peñafrancia). In 2008, the Laurel family sold "Villa Pacencia" to Senate President Manny Villar and his wife Cynthia.
On November 6, 1959, Laurel died at the Lourdes Hospital, in Manila,from a massive heart attack and a stroke.
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 on the development of the Lyceum of the Philippines established by his family.
During his retirement, Laurel stayed in a 3-story, 7-bedroom mansion dubbed as "Villa Pacencia", erected in 1957 at Mandaluyong and named after Laurel's wife. The home was one of three residences constructed by the Laurel family, the other two being located in Tanauan and in Paco, Manila (called "Villa Peñafrancia). In 2008, the Laurel family sold "Villa Pacencia" to Senate President Manny Villar and his wife Cynthia.
On November 6, 1959, Laurel died at the Lourdes Hospital, in Manila,from a massive heart attack and a stroke.
