#Today in History by Indio Historian
This day in 1943, in the Japanese-occupied Philippines, the Preparatory Committee for Philippine Independence (PCPI) convened for the purpose of drafting a new constitution. PCPI was formed by the Japanese Military Administration in the Philippines.
Upon its capture of Manila without resistance in January 1942, the Japanese immediately took control of the city. Certain members of the Quezon cabinet were asked personally by Pres. Manuel Quezon to stay behind to soften the blow of the occupation.
Gen. Masaharu Homma became the Japanese military commander who headed a Provisional Council of State, composed of the Philippine Commonwealth leaders who stayed behind. From here, the Philippine Executive Commission was formed, which acted as Cabinet for the Japanese commander.
On December 8, 1942, exactly a year after the Pearl Harbor attack and Japan’s subsequent invasion of the Philippines, the Japanese established the Kapisanan sa Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas (KALIBAPI), a party formed to replace all political parties in the Philippines.
Recognizing that American influence remained strong among Filipinos, Japanese Premier Hideki Tojo publicly declared several times from late 1942 to 1943 that Philippine independence would be granted to Filipinos—something that the United States had not yet given.
This worried Pres. Manuel Quezon, who led the Philippine Commonwealth government-in-exile in Washington, D.C., as Tojo's verbal promise of independence was already being acted upon, while the U.S. prioritized Europe over the Philippines in World War II.
The drafting of the constitution was closely monitored by the Japanese. Three months later, it would be submitted to the KALIBAPI convention and unanimously ratified, with the Japanese puppet government, the Second Philippine Republic inaugurated.
While being President of a Japanese-sponsored republic, Pres. Jose P. Laurel did his best for the welfare of Filipinos. For instance, instead of issuing an executive order directing Filipinos to go to war against the Allied forces as commanded, he only declared "a state of war."
At the start of the Philippine liberation from Japanese control in 1944, Gen. Douglas MacArthur issued a proclamation nullifying all laws issued by the Philippine Executive Commission and the Second Philippine Republic. This was seconded by the Supreme Court on September 17, 1945.
Photos:
- Jose P. Laurel addresses the National Assembly, circa 1943-44, from Presidential Museum & Library
- Lt. Gen. Masaharu Homma, offering a toast to the Emperor of Japan, at a luncheon on April 29, 1942, at Manila Hotel, from National Library
- A KALIBAPI float, February 8, 1943, propaganda booklet
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