EARLY LIFE AND CAREER
José Paciano Laurel y García was born on March 9, 1891 in the town of Tanauan, Batangas. His parents were Sotero Laurel, Sr. and Jacob a García. His father had been an official in the revolutionary government of Emilio Aguinaldo and a signatory to the 1898 Malolos Constitution.
While a teen, Laurel was indicted for attempted murder when he almost killed a rival suitor of his girlfriend with a Batangas fan knife. While studying and finishing law school, he argued for and received an acquittal.
Laurel received his law degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law in 1915, where he studied under Dean George A. Malcolm, whom he would later succeed on the Supreme Court. He then obtained a Master of Laws degree from University of Santo Tomas in 1919. Laurel then attended Yale Law School, where he obtained a Doctorate of Law.
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 of Philippine laws. During his work for the Code Committee, he was introduced to its head, Thomas A. Street, a future Supreme Court Justice who would be a mentor to the young Laurel.
Upon his return from Yale, Laurel was appointed first as Undersecretary of the Interior Department, then promoted as Secretary of the Interior in 1922. In that post, he would frequently clash with the American Governor-General Leonard Wood, and eventually, in 1923, resign from his position together with other Cabinet members in protest of Wood's administration. His clashes with Wood solidified Laurel's nationalist credentials.
Personal life
He married Paciencia Hidalgo in 1911. The couple had nine children:
Descendants
While a teen, Laurel was indicted for attempted murder when he almost killed a rival suitor of his girlfriend with a Batangas fan knife. While studying and finishing law school, he argued for and received an acquittal.
Laurel received his law degree from the University of the Philippines College of Law in 1915, where he studied under Dean George A. Malcolm, whom he would later succeed on the Supreme Court. He then obtained a Master of Laws degree from University of Santo Tomas in 1919. Laurel then attended Yale Law School, where he obtained a Doctorate of Law.
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 of Philippine laws. During his work for the Code Committee, he was introduced to its head, Thomas A. Street, a future Supreme Court Justice who would be a mentor to the young Laurel.
Upon his return from Yale, Laurel was appointed first as Undersecretary of the Interior Department, then promoted as Secretary of the Interior in 1922. In that post, he would frequently clash with the American Governor-General Leonard Wood, and eventually, in 1923, resign from his position together with other Cabinet members in protest of Wood's administration. His clashes with Wood solidified Laurel's nationalist credentials.
Personal life
He married Paciencia Hidalgo in 1911. The couple had nine children:
- José Laurel, Jr., (August 27, 1912-March 18, 1998) Member of the Philippine National Assembly from Batangas from 1943 to 1944, Congressman from Batangas' Third District from 1941 to 1957 and from 1961 to 1972, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from 1954 to 1957 and from 1967 to 1971, Assemblyman of Regular Batasang Pambansa from 1984 to 1986, Member of the Philippine Constitutional Commission of 1986 from June 2 to October 15, 1986 and a running-mate of Carlos P. Garcia of the Nacionalista Party in Philippine presidential election of 1957, placed second in the vice-presidential race against Diosdado Macapagal of Liberal Party (Philippines)
- José Laurel III (August 27, 1914) Ambassador to Japan
- Natividad Laurel (December 25, 1916)
- Sotero Laurel II (September 27, 1918-September 16, 2009) Senator of the Philippines from 1987 to 1992 became Senate President pro tempore from 1990 to 1992
- Mariano Antonio Laurel (January 17, 1922)
- RosendaPacencia Laurel (January 9, 1925)
- Potenciana Laurel Yupangco (May 19, 1926)
- Salvador Laurel (November 18, 1928-January 27, 2004) Senator of the Philippines from 1967 to 1972, Prime Minister of the Philippines from February 25 to March 25, 1986, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines from March 25, 1986 to February 2, 1987, Vice President of the Philippines from February 25, 1986 to June 30, 1992 and a presidential candidate of the Nacionalista Party in Philippine presidential election of 1992 placed seventh in the presidential race against Fidel V. Ramos
- Arsenio Laurel (December 14, 1931-November 19, 1967) He was the first two-time winner of the Macau Grand Prix, winning it consecutively in 1962 and 1963
Descendants
- Roberto Laurel, grandson, President of Lyceum of the Philippines University-Manila and Lyceum of the Philippines University-Cavite, son of Sotero Laurel (2nd son of José P. Laurel)
- Peter Laurel, grandson, President of Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas and Lyceum of the Philippines University-Laguna
- Franco Laurel, great-grandson, singer/stage actor
- Rajo Laurel, great-grandson, fashion designer
- Cocoy Laurel, grandson, actor/stage actor
- Iwi Laurel-Asensio, granddaughter, singer/entrepreneurship
- Cholo Laurel, grandson, movie director
- Patty Laurel, granddaughter, TV host/former MTV VJ
- Mark Anthony Laurel, great-grandson, earned fame in wholly different field as a game master
- José Laurel IV, grandson, representative of the 3rd District of Batangas, son of José B. Laurel, Jr.
- Denise Laurel, great-granddaughter, Filipina actress and singer and a member of ABS-CBN's circle of homegrown talents.
- Nicole Laurel-Asensio, great-granddaughter, A Literature Major and Dean’s List Awardee in the College of Liberal Arts in De La Salle University, Daughter of Iwi Laurel-Asensio, Lead singer of General Luna (band)