José Paciano Laurel

              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
                                                              Philippines.
  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's descendants became prominent political figures in their own right:

  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:
College of Law, University of the Philippines
Philippine Law, Lacson College
Faculty of Law, University of Santo Tomas
National Law College, University of Manila
Institute of Law, Far Eastern University
College of Law, Central University
College of Law, Adamson University

» 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 - Salutatorian
» (1919) LI.M., Escuela de Derecho, Manila  - Licenciado en Ciencias Juridicas
» (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 - Honoris Causa

        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, authored the Bill of Rights of the 1935 Constitution and was
among the so-called Seven Wise Men of the Convention.
        As President of the Philippines during the Japanese Occupation, he advocated self-
sufficiency through his Magtanim Upang Mabuhay policy as a means of national survival and
refused the demand of the Japanese to conscript Filipino soldiers to fight the U.S. Allied Forces
during World War II.
        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 Alumni Association
» (1940-1941) First Vice-President,  University of the Philippines Alumni Association
» (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 Free Press
» 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

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, December 25, 1945

       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.

    
  Political Career
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.

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.