JPL CHAPTER 16-17

• Jose P. Laurel: 'Truthfulness, honesty, justice, and charity are the qualities of the man of character.'
• Jose P. Laurel: 'In work lies our salvation as a people.'
• Jose P. Laurel: 'A nation must be moved by the forces of its own dynamic moral energy.'
• Qualifications to become president in the Philippines

  • Be a natural-born citizen of the Philippines
  • Be a registered voter
  • Be able to read and write
  • At least forty years of age on the day of the election
  • A resident of the Philippines for at least ten years immediately preceding such election
• List of Presidents in Chronological Order

  • Emilio Aguinaldo
  • Manuel Quezon
  • Jose Laurel
  • Sergio Osmeña
  • Manuel Roxas
  • Elpidio Quirino
  • Ramon Magsaysay
  • Carlos Garcia
  • Diosdado Macapagal
  • Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
  • Corazon Aquino
  • Fidel Ramos
  • Joseph Estrada
  • Gloria Arroyo
  • Benigno Aquino III
  • Rodrigo Duterte
  • Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
• Proclamation 29


  Placing the entire country under Martial Law
• Proclamation 30


  Declaring a state of War against the US and UK
• Groups involved in the conflict

  • MAKAPILI (Makabayang Katipunan ng mga Pilipino)
  • HUKBALAHAP (Hukbong Bayan Laban sa Hapon)
• The case against Jose P. Laurel for his alleged collaboration with the Japanese during World War II was filed by the Philippine government after the war. Specifically, Laurel was charged with treason by the newly established Philippine Republic under the leadership of President Sergio Osmeña. The trial took place in 1946, and Laurel was accused of collaborating with the Japanese occupation forces during their occupation of the Philippines. However, Laurel was eventually acquitted of the charges of treason in 1948.
• Reason for acquittal

  • Dilly-dallying with the Japanese sustained peace throughout Laurel's presidency
  • Aurelio Alvero testified that Jose P. Laurel had nothing to do with the activities nor connected with MAKAPILI
• Jose P. Laurel: 'The policy of survival in order to tide the Filipinos to better times was the sole purpose of my government during the Japanese occupation'
• Jose P. Laurel: 'I am not expecting a decoration, I do not expect to be promoted. I do not claim to be a hero, but I have the right to recognition of my people of the moral value of my efforts… The moral value of my act, even on the hypothesis that I failed to save the Filipino people, should not be disregarded'
• Jose P. Laurel: 'I was even prepared to declare war against the whole world if that was the only way to save my people'
• Jose P. Laurel: 'If I am a traitor, then I deserve the death of a traitor. I have no regrets. I am ready to face God and the people, conscious that what I have done for the good of my country and my compatriots and what I sincerely believed to be right in serving as I did the Philippines at a time when national survival was the main concern'
• Jose P. Laurel received amnesty from Roxas but was not happy with the decision.
• Laurel opened a law firm in San Vicente
• Laurel made critical remarks on the Bell Trade Act
• Laurel was vocal in the opposition to the Parity Act
• Opposing Parties in the 1949 election

  • Nacionalista (oldest Political System in SEA founded by Quezon and Osmeña)
  • Liberal (founded by Roxas)
• Recto and Laurel were considered to be a strong candidate for the presidential election along with Elpidio Quirino
• Quirino half-heartedly ran for the presidency due to lack of funding but was reassured to be funded through the connection of the late Senator Madrigal of Bicol
• Since both candidates are from Luzon, they were looking for their running mates in Visayas. Quirino chose Fernando Lopez (former mayor of Iloilo City) and the Nacionalista chose Rep. Manuel Briones from Cebu
• The election is a battle between the Ilocanos and the Tagalogs
• Laurel critically attacks Quirino on his engagement with the Americans
• Liberals retaliated by spreading the possibility of Laurel together with Lacson and Recto being arrested.
• During his political rally in Cebu, somebody fired a shot but Laurel did not flinch and continued his speech as if nothing happened.
• Nearing the end of the campaign the liberals had the BIR released a statement that both Laurel and Recto did not pay some amount of taxes.
• The liberal party also released a video where Laurel was received by General Homma and Tanaka with an ending showing the devastation of Ermita and Intramuros. While Quirino was dining with MacArthur and President Truman as also shown on the scene.
• Quirino won with 1,803, 808 votes, Laurel came second with 1,313,320, and Avelino with 419, 896.
• Claro M. Recto did not win and filed and won the election protest to the Senate Electoral Tribunal two years later.
• Controversies that loomed during the election

  • Bribery
  • Extortion
  • Vote Buying
  • Flying Voters
  • Dead people voting
  • Tampering with ballots
• After the defeat, the Batangueños wanted to start a revolt but were calmed down by Laurel stating that the presidency was not worth a revolution.
• JPL lost to Elpidio Quirino during the 1949 election
• Laurel resumed practicing his profession and became busy with his speaking engagements
• Laurel had a house constructed in Baguio which became their place of vacation
• The defeat of Laurel during the 1949 election left a strain on his heart as it was supposed to be his redemption or public vindication of his role during World War II
• To prove his name once again, Laurel decided to run for the Senate in 1951
• Laurel's confidence in running for Senate

  • Military troops will oversee the balloting
  • National Movement for Free Election (NAMREL) was created and funded by the CIA
• Laurel won the election as the no. 1 senator by the largest margin since the war
• All winners are under the Nationalista party list