Jose Laurel Jr.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Hidalgo and the surname or paternal family name is Laurel.

The Honorable Jose B. Laurel Jr.
9th Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines
In office February 2, 1967 – April 1, 1971
Preceded by	Cornelio Villareal
Succeeded by	Cornelio Villareal
In office January 25, 1954 – December 30, 1957
Preceded by	Eugenio Pérez
Succeeded by	Daniel Z. Romualdez
Minority Leader of the Regular Batasang Pambansa
In office July 23, 1984 – March 25, 1986
Preceded by	Hilario Davide Jr. (as Minority Leader of the Interim Batasang Pambansa)
Succeeded by	Rodolfo Albano (as House Minority Leader)
House Minority Leader
In office January 17, 1966 – December 30, 1969
Preceded by	Daniel Z. Romualdez
Succeeded by	Justiniano Montano
In office December 30, 1949 – December 30, 1953
Preceded by	Cipriano Primicias Sr.
Succeeded by	Eugenio Pérez
Member of the Regular Batasang Pambansa from Batangas
In office June 30, 1984 – March 25, 1986 Serving with Manuel Collantes, Hernando Perez, and Rafael Recto
Member of the House of Representatives from Batangas' 3rd district
In office December 30, 1961 – September 23, 1972
Preceded by	José Macario Laurel IV
Succeeded by	District abolished (Next held by Milagros Laurel-Trinidad)
In office June 11, 1945 – December 30, 1957
Preceded by	District re-established (Previously held by Maximo Kalaw)
Succeeded by	José Macario Laurel IV
Member of the National Assembly from Batangas
In office September 25, 1943 – February 2, 1944 Serving with Maximo Malvar
Personal details
Born	José Bayani Laurel Jr. y Hidalgo (1912-08-27)August 27, 1912 Tanauan, Batangas, Philippine Islands
Died	March 11, 1998(1998-03-11) (aged 85) Manila, Philippines
Nationality	Filipino
Political party	Nacionalista (1941-1942; 1945–1998)
Other political affiliations	UNIDO (1980–1988) KALIBAPI (1942–1945)
Spouse	Remedios Lerma
Relations	Laurel family
Children	2
Parent(s)	Jose P. Laurel Pacencia Laurel
Alma mater	University of the Philippines Diliman (LL.B)
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Lawyer

José Bayani "Pepito" Hidalgo Laurel Jr. (August 27, 1912 – March 11, 1998), also known as Jose B. Laurel Jr., was a Filipino politician and lawyer who was elected twice as speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines. A stalwart of the Nacionalista Party, he was the party's candidate for the country's vice president in the 1957 elections.

Early life and education

Laurel was born on August 27, 1912, in Tanauan, Batangas, the eldest son of Jose P. Laurel, who would serve as president of the Philippines from 1943 to 1945, and Pacencia Hidalgo Laurel. His brother, Salvador, would become vice-president in 1986, Sotero would be elected as a senator in 1987. Another brother, Jose S. Laurel III, served as ambassador to Japan. His youngest brother, Arsenio, was the first two-time winner of the Macau Grand Prix.

Laurel finished his intermediate and secondary education in Manila, and enrolled at the University of the Philippines. In 1936, he received his law degree from the U.P. College of Law and passed the bar exams the following year. There, he served as president of the U.P. Student Council and captain of the university's debate team. He was a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi fraternity.

Political career

In 1941, Laurel won his first election, as a member of the House of Representatives from the 3rd district of Batangas. However, his term was interrupted by the Japanese invasion in late 1941. For the duration of the war, Laurel assisted his father, who was designated as president of the Philippines under the Second Philippine Republic, and served as a representative for the at-large district of Batangas in the National Assembly from 1943 to 1944.

Beginning in March 1945, Laurel, together with his family, Camilo Osías, Benigno Aquino Sr., Gen. Tomas Capinpin, and Jorge B. Vargas evacuated to Baguio. Shortly after the city fell, they traveled to Tuguegarao, where they embarked on a bomber plane to Japan via Formosa (now Taiwan) and Shanghai, China. On September 15, days after Japan formally surrendered to the United States, his father, his brother Jose III, and Aquino were arrested by a group of Americans headed by a Colonel Turner for collaborating with Imperial Japan and were imprisoned in Japan. He later joined the rest of the Laurel family in flying back to Manila on November 2.

Jose Laurel Jr. during session at the House of Representatives

Laurel's term as representative for the 3rd district of Batangas began only in 1945. When the Philippine Congress was restored upon independence in 1946, he again sought election to the House of Representatives representing the 3rd district of Batangas. He was successful in his bid, having been re-elected to the second and third congresses. In 1954, he was elected to his first term as speaker of the House. He decided not to seek re-election for his seat in the House in 1957 as he was drafted instead to run for vice president under the Nacionalista ticket spearheaded by President Carlos P. Garcia. He was defeated by Pampanga 1st district Representative Diosdado Macapagal of the Liberal Party even as Garcia went on to victory.

In 1961, Laurel regained his seat in the House of Representatives and would serve in that capacity until martial law was declared in 1972. Laurel was among those who, in 1965, recruited Senate president Ferdinand Marcos to join the Nacionalista Party as its presidential candidate against Diosdado Macapagal. He was again elected speaker in February 1967 and remained in that position until 1971, when Cornelio Villareal (Capiz–2nd) of the Liberal Party regained the speakership. During his congressional career, Laurel focused on economic issues. He was an advocate of a planned economy and protectionism.

Attempted assassination

On the evening of October 9, 1967, Laurel was dining with his aide at Maxim's Supper Club & Steak House in Pasay City when he was shot twice by an assailant, with bullets hitting his face and chest. His aide attempted to shoot back at the gunman who then fled the scene.

Martial law

See also: Martial law under Ferdinand Marcos

In January 1971, after President Ferdinand Marcos voiced the possibility of imposing nationwide martial law in his sixth State of the Nation Address, Laurel voiced his opinion that a declaration of martial law would be "an admission of weakness" for his administration. Laurel's political career was halted after Congress dissolved due to the implementation of martial law in September 1972. However, by 1981, he served as spokesperson of the newly-formed opposition party called the United Nationalist Democratic Organization (UNIDO), led by his brother Salvador Laurel, alongside LP President Gerry Roxas. He was later elected as an assemblyman from Batangas in the Regular Batasang Pambansa in 1984, serving until 1986. He also became a member of the 1986 Constitutional Commission that drafted the present Philippine Constitution.

Personal life

Jose Laurel Jr. on a 2012 stamp of the Philippines

Laurel had three children with Remedios Lerma: Jose Macario IV (1932–2025), Jaime ("Banjo", 1938–1970), and Milagros ("Lally", born 1941). Jose IV and Lally became members of the House of Representatives, representing the same seat their father had held. The actor Noel Trinidad was his son-in-law.

In September 1965, Banjo was accused alongside four others of murdering his wife Erlinda Gallego and her alleged paramour Amando Silva on August 15, 1965 before a Manila Court of First Instance, with Jose Laurel's brother Salvador serving as his counsel. He was later acquitted in 1968 after the court determined Silva to be the culprit in a murder-suicide based on evidence. Banjo was elected mayor of Tanauan, Batangas in 1967, but died in a helicopter crash in Camarines Sur on the evening of January 10, 1970.

Death

Laurel died of pneumonia at the age of 85 on March 11, 1998.

References

• Paras, Corazon L.; La Vina, Dean Karlo B. (1996). The Speakers of the Philippine Legislative Branch. House of Representatives of the Philippines. ISBN 971-92100-0-1.

External links

• New York Times (1998-03-18). "Jose Laurel Jr., 85, Ex-Manila Politician".