José Yulo


José Yulo Yulo was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines during the Japanese Occupation and was Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives from 1939 until World War II started in 1941. Yulo served in all of the branches of government: the legislative as House Speaker and congressman; the executive as Secretary of Justice and member of the Cabinet; and the judiciary as the Chief Magistrate and Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

Early life and career

José Yulo Yulo was born on September 24, 1894 in Bago, Negros Occidental to Sofronio Yulo and Segunda Yulo. He obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of the Philippines and placed third in the Philippine Bar Examination of 1913; however, due to his age, did not practice law until two years later. He became distinguished as one of the best corporation lawyers in the Philippines.
Appointed as Justice Secretary by Governor-General Frank Murphy and President Manuel L. Quezon in 1934 and 1935, he was elected to the National Assembly of the Philippines representing the province of Negros Occidental, becoming its Speaker under the ruling Nacionalista Party on its convening session in 1939.
The 1935 Philippine Constitution was amended in 1940 changing the unicameral legislature system into a bicameral system; thus the National Assembly was divided into a Senate and a House of Representatives. Yulo remained as Speaker of the House.
Following the Japanese conquest of the Philippines in 1942, Yulo became a member of the Preparatory Committee for Philippine Independence, and upon the establishment of the Second Philippine Republic in 1943, was appointed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He is the only former Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines to be subsequently appointed Chief Justice.

Accomplishments

Despite the difficulties experienced under Japanese occupation, Yulo attempted to maintain the integrity of the judiciary despite pressure from the Japanese military to sway in decisions on certain cases.

Postwar years

Yulo was the presidential candidate of the Philippine Liberal Party in the 1957 presidential election, eventually losing to incumbent President Carlos P. Garcia. His running mate, Pampanga Representative Diosdado Macapagal, won the vice-presidential race.
Yulo was later appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos as Secretary of Justice, and served from January 1, 1966 to August 4, 1967.

Death

Yulo died of respiratory failure as a result of atherosclerosis at Makati Medical Center in Makati at 10:10 AM on October 27, 1976. He was buried in Canlubang, Calamba, Laguna on October 30, 1976.