Jose Laurel
President - Second Philippine Republic
The first President of the Second Philippine Republic had been an associate justice of the Supreme Court before the Japanese occupation,and was one of the government officials ordered to remain in Manila as the government evacuated to Corregidor in late 1941. As he had already enjoyed a good relationship with the Japanese government before the war, and had a reputation for clashing with the US administration, he was selected to serve as an official in the Japanese controlled provisional government.
Laurel gives a speech in Manila, under the Japanese flag
In late 1942 the provisional government outlawed all political parties, founding instead the Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas (Association for Service to the New Philippines), commonly known as KALIBAPI. In the following year, with the support of Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo a constitution was approved for a Philippine Republic, and Laurel was named its first president.
His administration remained subject to the whims of the Japanese occupation forces, such as worthless Japanese currency experiencing rampant inflation and Japanese troops serving as the only real military forces, operating entirely out of the control of the supposedly sovereign Republic. The country was also beset by shortages of consumer goods and food, and malnutrition was rapidly reaching crisis level. Attempts were made at promoting Filipino nationalism, as well as pushing for increased labor productivity.
A Japanese soldier puts up propaganda posters encouraging locals to learn Japanese
Laurel and his Republic faced a constant threat of resistance from a population generally hostile to the idea of a collaborationist regime working with the abusive Japanese. In one particular incident, President Laurel was shot several times while golfing at the Wack Wack Country Club, and required surgery at the nearby Philippine General Hospital.
The Republic would, in 1944, all but cease to exist as President Laurel declared martial law on September 21, and after American forces landed on Luzon and began to march on Manila the government, including President Laurel, were evacuated from the capitol to Baguio, leaving the Japanese to defend the capitol along with the collaborationist Makapili militia.
