Jose Zulueta Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honorable
Jose Zulueta
Office:Governor of Iloilo
Term Start:1960
Term End:1963
Predecessor:Mariano Peñaflorida
Successor:Rafael Palmares
Order2:8th
Office2:President of the Senate of the Philippines
Term Start2:May 20, 1953
Term End2:December 30, 1953
President2:Elpidio Quirino
Predecessor2:Camilo Osías
Successor2:Eulogio Rodriguez
Office3:Senator of the Philippines
Term Start3:December 30, 1951
Term End3:December 30, 1957
Office4:7th Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives
Term Start4:June 9, 1945
Term End4:December 20, 1945
Predecessor4:Benigno Aquino, Sr.[1]
Successor4:Eugenio Pérez
Office5:Member of the
Philippine House of Representatives
from Iloilo's 1st district
Term Start5:1928
Term End5:1946
Predecessor5:Eugenio Baldana
Successor5:Mateo M. Nonato
Term Start6:December 30, 1949
Term End6:December 30, 1953
Predecessor6:Mateo M. Nonato
Successor6:Pedro G. Trono
Term Start7:December 30, 1969
Term End7:September 23, 1972
Predecessor7:Pedro G. Trono
Successor7:Vacant[2]
Post later held by Oscar G. Garin
Office8:Secretary of the Interior
President8:Manuel Roxas
Term Start8:May 28, 1946
Term End8:April 17, 1948
Predecessor8:Rafael Alunan
Successor8:Sotero Baluyut
Birth Name:José Casten Zulueta
Birth Date:23 November 1889
Birth Place:Molo, Iloilo, Captaincy General of the Philippines
Death Place:Paco, Manila, Philippines
Nationality:Filipino
Profession:Lawyer, politician
Party:Nacionalista (1928–1946, 1951–1957, 1960–1972)
Otherparty:Liberal (1946–1951)
People's (Veterans) Democratic Movement for Good Government (1957)
Spouse:Soledad B. Ramos
Alma Mater:Ateneo de Manila

Jose Casten Zulueta (November 23, 1889 – December 6, 1972) was a Filipino lawyer and politician. He served as Senate President for a brief period in 1953.

Early life and education

Jose Zulueta was born to Evaristo Zulueta and Atilana Casten. Zulueta studied at the Ateneo de Manila. In 1911 he was appointed as a stenographer at Court of First Instance. He studied law and graduated in 1916 for the entrance examination for the Philippine bar (bar exam) and started a law practice.

Career

Zueleta in 1928 was elected to the House of Representatives of the Philippines on behalf of the 1st constituency of Iloilo. He was re-elected several times, and he would sit in the House until 1946.During the Japanese occupation, Zulueta was accused of collaboration, along with Jorge Vargas, Jorge Bocobo and Manuel Roxas, being the first to respond to General Homma's order to form an Executive Commission. After the establishment of the Philippine Republic in 1946, the Department of Interior was restored and Zulueta was appointed by President Manuel Roxas once again to head the agency until 1948. Zulueta's term was marked by heightened tensions with the Hukbalahap movement, with Zulueta instituting a pass system that was required of Central Luzon residents wishing to travel outside their towns. Like his mentor Roxas, he adopted a hardline attitude toward the Huks, declaring in 1947 that the Huks faced only two choices: surrender or annihilation. He gave carte blanche to the Philippine Constabulary in all their operations against "dissidents". He was in charge of negotiating several times with its leaders, including Luis Lava, Luis Taruc, Juan Feleo and Jose de Leon.

After his term as minister he stood in April 1949 successfully apply for a new term in the House of Representatives. Before the end of his term, he is more than two years later at the 1951 election elected to the Philippine Senate. In his time as a senator, which lasted until 1957, he was on April 30, 1953 until November 30, 1953 President of the Senate. Zulueta in 1959 was elected governor of his native province of Iloilo.Later, he was from 1969 to 1972 again delegate on behalf of the first constituency of Iloilo.

In 1946, Zulueta was elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives in the inaugural session of the Congress.

He became Senator (1951–1957) and was briefly elected the Senate President in 1953. He became Provincial Governor of Iloilo in 1959.

During the Marcos administration, he was made the Presidential Consultant on Local Government.

He is among the few Filipinos included in the World Biography, 1948 edition and in the International Who's Who, 1952 edition.

Personal life

Zulueta was married to Soledad B. Ramos. His brother, Francisco Zulueta, also served as a Senator.

References

Notes and References

  1. Aquino served as Speaker of the National Assembly during the Japanese Occupation (1942-1945)
  2. When Martial Law was declared, the Congress was dissolved.