José Laurel, Jr.

Jose Bayani "Pepito" Hidalgo Laurel Jr. (August 27, 1912 – March 11, 1998), also known as Jose B. Laurel Jr., was a Filipino politician 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 He 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.