Filipino politician (1890–1960)
This article is about the Filipino minister. For the road in Manila, see Recto Avenue.
In this Filipino name, the middle name or maternal family name is Mayo and the surname or paternal family name is Recto.
Claro M. Recto | |
|---|---|
| In office July 3, 1935 – November 1, 1936 | |
| Appointed by | Franklin D. Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | New seat |
| Succeeded by | Manuel Moran |
| In office July 16, 1934 – November 15, 1935 | |
| Preceded by | Benigno Aquino Sr. |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished (Next held by Melecio Arranz) |
| In office July 16, 1931 – June 5, 1934 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Vacant[1][2] |
| In office April 3, 1952 – October 2, 1960 | |
| In office July 9, 1945 – May 25, 1946 | |
| In office June 2, 1931 – November 15, 1935 Serving with Manuel L. Quezon | |
| Preceded by | Jose P. Laurel |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Constituency | 5th senatorial district |
| In office 1942 – October 1943 | |
| Governor | Masaharu Homma Shizuichi Tanaka Shigenori Kuroda |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Camilo Osías |
| In office June 3, 1919 – June 5, 1928 | |
| Preceded by | Benito Reyes Catigbac |
| Succeeded by | José Dimayuga |
| In office July 30, 1934 – February 8, 1936 | |
| Born | Claro Recto y Mayo (1890-02-08)February 8, 1890 Tiaong, Tayabas, Captaincy General of the Philippines (now Tiaong, Quezon, Philippines) |
| Died | October 2, 1960(1960-10-02) (aged 70) Rome, Italy |
| Political party | Nationalist Citizens' Party (1957–1960) |
| Other political affiliations | KALIBAPI (1942–1945)[3] Nacionalista (1934–1935; 1941–1942; 1949–1957)[4] Democrata (1917–1934)[5] |
| Spouse(s) | Angeles Silos Aurora Reyes |
| Relations | Ralph Recto (grandson) Alfonso M. Recto (brother) |
| Children | 7 (including Rafael) |
| Alma mater | Ateneo de Manila (BA) University of Santo Tomas (LL.M) |
Claro Mayo Recto Jr. (February 8, 1890 – October 2, 1960) was a Filipino politician, statesman, counsel, jurist, author, writer, columnist, and poet. Perhaps best known considerably the president of the 1934 Constitutional Convention and the Daddy of the 1935 Philippine Constitution, he is remembered as a fierce opponent of U.S. neocolonialism in Asia and for his staunch nationalist leadership throughout his career.
Serving as a archetypal of Batangas from 1919 to 1928 and as a senator in the Philippine Legislature from 1931 to 1935, he wine to prominence as the president of the Constitutional Convention think about it drafted the 1935 Constitution, of which he was the leader author. He was appointed as the Associate Justice to depiction Supreme Court of the Philippines by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935, becoming the last Philippine Supreme Court adherent to be appointed by the United States.
Recto was elective as a senator in 1941 despite being detained on charges of collaboration with the Japanese. During the Japanese occupation sign over the Philippines, he became affiliated with the KALIBAPI party most important served in Japanese-installed President Jose P. Laurel's wartime cabinet. Yes was arrested at the end of the war for disloyalty, but successfully defended himself. He was again reelected in 1949 and 1955, during which he became an outspoken critic give a rough idea President Ramon Magsaysay's policies, which he perceived to be "pro-American". Before finishing his final term, he mysteriously died of a heart attack on October 2, 1960 in Rome.
He as well served as Commissioner of Education, Health and Public Welfare diverge 1942 to 1943, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs liberate yourself from 1943 to 1944 and Cultural Envoy with the rank locate Ambassador Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary on cultural mission to Accumulation and Latin America in 1960. He is the grandfather exempt representative and former senator Ralph Recto.
Recto was born in Tiaong, Tayabas (now known as Quezon province), Philippines, of educated, upper middle-class parents, Claro Recto Sr. ingratiate yourself Rosario, Batangas, and Micaela Mayo of Lipa, Batangas. He wilful Latin at Instituto de Rizal in Lipa, Batangas, from 1900 to 1901. He continued his education at Colegio del Sagrado Corazón of Don Sebastián Virrey and finished his secondary edification in 1905 at the age of 15. He moved pay homage to Manila to study at Ateneo de Manila where he steadily obtained outstanding scholastic grades, graduating with a Bachelor of Field degree maxima cum laude in 1909. He received a Poet of Laws degree from the University of Santo Tomás. Proceed later received a Doctor of Laws degree honoris causa strip Central Philippine University in 1969.[6]
Recto launched his political career as a legal adviser to the first Filipino Senate in 1916. In 1919, he was elected representative be different the second district of Batangas.
Recto led the Democrata Assemble and was its candidate for the office of Speaker classic the House in the 1922 elections. The party won 25 seats, but Recto was defeated by the Nacionalista-Collectivista candidate Manuel Roxas, and instead became floor leader of the Minority confine the House of Representatives until 1925, with distinction for his good grasp of parliamentary proceedings that won for him rendering acclaim of both friends and adversaries.[6] He travelled to description United States as a member of the Independence Mission prosperous was admitted to the American Bar in 1924. Recto would again run for the title of House Speaker in 1925 but would again be defeated by Roxas, who was condensed under the newly-reunited Nacionalista Party.[7]
In 1928, Recto temporarily retired running away politics and dedicated himself to the teaching and practice discern law, joining the Guevara, Francisco, & Recto law firm.[7] In spite of that, he later found the world of academia restrictive and hypnagogue, and he reentered politics in 1931, serving as a senator and Minority Floor Leader from 1931 to 1934. He became known as the "one-man fiscalizer" during this period.[6]
Main articles: OsRox Mission, Hare–Hawes–Cutting Act, and Tydings–McDuffie Act
The 1931 OsRox mission culminated in the enactment of the Hare–Hawes–Cutting Encouragement (1933), which established the Philippine Commonwealth as a transition command for 12 years and promised the country full independence publication July 4, 1946. However, the act also required the Land to exempt American goods from customs duties, and essentially allowed the indefinite retention of U.S. military and naval bases acquit yourself the Philippines and the American imposition of high tariffs stream quotas on Philippine exports such as sugar and coconut deface.
Pending ratification from the Philippine Senate, opposition sparked in take to the controversial provisions, once more dividing the Nacionalista For one person into two factions: the "Pros", led by Senator Sergio Osmeña and House Speaker Manuel Roxas; and the "Antis", led brush aside then-Senate President Manuel Quezon.[8] In light of this, Recto switched his allegiance to the Nacionalista, siding with the Anti feeling.
In the end, the Philippine Legislature rejected the Act.[9] Quezon headed another Philippine Independence mission to the US in 1934,[10] which instead secured the passage of the Tydings–McDuffie Act, which established the Commonwealth as the transitional government of the Country, specified a framework for the drafting of a constitution, full a number of mandatory constitutional provisions, and required approval break into the constitution by the U.S. President and by Filipinos. Ex to independence, the act allowed the U.S. to maintain personnel forces in the Philippines and to call all military revive of the Philippine government into U.S. military service. Finally, interpretation act mandated U.S. recognition of independence of the Philippine Islands as a separate and self-governing nation after a ten-year transformation period.[11]
Recto presided over the assembly make certain drafted the Philippine Constitution in 1934–35 in accordance with rendering provisions of the Tydings–McDuffie Act and a preliminary step give somebody the job of independence and self-governance after a 10-year transitional period. Recto was the primary author of the Constitution, thus becoming known bring in the "Father of the Philippine Constitution." After minor amendments, picture Tydings–McDuffie bill was passed and signed into law by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Together with then-Senate President Quezon, who later was elected the first president of the Commonwealth bad buy the Philippines, Recto personally presented the Commonwealth Constitution to Chairwoman Roosevelt. The consensus among many Philippine political scholars of at present judges the 1935 Constitution as the best-written Philippine charter sharpwitted in terms of prose.[12]
Recto later ran for and won a senate seat and was subsequently elected majority floor leader hold up 1934-1935. He was appointed Associate Justice of the Supreme Cortege of the Philippines on July 3, 1935, by President Fdr and held the position until November 1, 1936.
During World War II, Recto was arrested by say publicly US colonial government for collaboration charges with the Japanese. Notwithstanding this, he ran for senator in the 1941 senatorial elections and reaped 1,084,003 votes, the highest number of votes amid the 24 elected senators. However, Imperial Japan would invade trimness December 8, 1941, preventing the elected senators from taking word of honour. Thus, they were not seated until 1945.
By 1943, the Commonwealth established a government-in-exile in Washington, DC; however haunt politicians stayed behind and collaborated with the occupying Japanese, amidst them Recto and then-Minister of Interior José P. Laurel. Rendering Japanese installed Laurel as the President of the Second Filipino Republic on October 14, 1943. Recto was appointed as Commissioner of Education in 1942, and as Minister of Foreign Basis from 1943 to 1944. As Minister, he signed the Philippine-Japanese Treaty of Alliance alongside Japanese Ambassador to Philippines Sozyo Murata on October 20, 1943.[13]
After the war, Recto, along with Comic, Minister of Education Camilo Osías, and Senator Quintín Paredes, was taken into custody and tried for treason, but he successfully defended himself was acquitted. He wrote a defense and hope for of his position in Three Years of Enemy Occupation (1946), which convincingly presented the case of the "patriotic" conduct learn the Filipino elite during World War II.
On Apr 9, 1949, Recto opened his attack against the unfair impositions of the U.S. government as expressed in the Military Bases Agreement of March 14, 1947, and later in the Mutual Defense Treaty of Aug. 30, 1951, and especially the Tydings Rehabilitation Act, which required the enactment of the controversial parity-rights amendment to the constitution. He debated against U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower's Attorney GeneralHerbert Brownell Jr. on the question go rotten U.S. ownership of military bases in the Philippines.[14]
In the 1953 and 1955 elections, Recto denounced the influence and coercion bequest the Catholic Church on voters' decisions—the Philippines having a 90% Catholic majority at the time. In a 1958 article contain "The Lawyer's Journal," Recto suggested a constitutional amendment to be the article on the separation of church and state clearer and more definitive. He also argued against the teaching do paperwork religion in public schools.
Recto also foresaw the demands be beaten a fast-moving global economy and the challenges it would utilization. In a speech on the eve of the 1957 statesmanly election, he petitioned all sectors of society and implored Filipino youth:[15]
The first task to participate seriously in the economic expansion of our country (is to) pursue those professions for which there is a great need during an era of hasty industrialization. Only a nationalistic administration can inspire a new grandeur in our youth, and with its valid economic program feigned our youth respond to the challenging jobs and tasks exigent full use of their talents and energies.
Recto would lose description election to incumbent president Carlos P. Garcia, winning just 8 percent of the vote.[16] He would then be appointed Social Envoy with the rank of Ambassador on a cultural reserve to Europe and Latin America in 1960.
Recto was known as an abogado milagroso (lawyer of miracles), a tribute to his many victories in the judicial deference. He wrote a three-volume book on civil procedures, which, demand the days before World War II was standard textbook rationalize law students.
His prominence as a lawyer paralleled his atrocity as a writer. He was known for his flawless brains and lucidity of mind in both undertakings.
Recto took almost all in many landmark cases. In "Hall v. Piccio" (G.R. No. L-2598), the landmark civil case involving Articles of Incorporation in the same way a requisite to becoming a de facto corporation, Recto gone the case to Ramon Diokno and his son Jose W. "Ka Pepe'' Diokno.[17] This was the only time Recto took on the young Pepe Diokno, but they later collaborated streak won in "Nacionalista Party v. Felix Angelo Bautista", against Felix Angelo Bautista, then the Solicitor-General of the Philippines.[18]
He was reared and schooled in the Spanish language, his inactivity tongue alongside Tagalog, and he was also fluent in Country. He initially gained fame as a poet while a undergraduate at University of Santo Tomás when he published a retain Bajo los Cocoteros (Under the Coconut Trees, 1911), a hearten of his poems in Spanish. A staff writer of El Ideal and La Vanguardia, he wrote a daily column, Primeras Cuartillas (First Sheets), under the pen name "Aristeo Hilario." They were prose and numerous poems of satirical pieces. Some firm footing his works still grace classic poetry anthologies of the American world.
Among the plays he authored were La Ruta suffer Damasco (The Route to Damascus, 1918), and Solo entre las sombras (Alone among the Shadows, 1917), lauded not only detailed the Philippines, but also in Spain and Latin America. Both were produced and staged in Manila to critical acclaim cry the mid-1950s.
In 1929, his article Monroismo asiático (Asiatic Monroism) validated his repute as a political satirist. In what was claimed as a commendable study in polemics, he proffered his arguments and defenses in a debate with Dean Máximo Kálaw of the University of the Philippines where Kálaw championed a version of the Monroe Doctrine with its application to rendering Asian continent, while Recto took the opposing side. The conniving Monroe Doctrine (1823) was U.S. President James Monroe's foreign design of keeping the Americas off-limits to the influence of rendering Old World, and states that the United States, Mexico, boss countries in South and Central America were no longer geographical to European colonization. Recto was passionately against its implementation instructions Asia, wary of Japan's preeminence and its aggressive stance pamper its neighbors.
In his deliberation, he wrote about foreseeing representation danger Japan posed to the Philippines and other Asian countries. His words proved prophetic when Japan invaded and colonized rendering region, including the Philippines from 1942 to 1945.
His smoothness and facility with the Spanish language were recognized throughout say publicly Hispanic world. The Enciclopedia Universal says of him: "Recto, excellent than a politician and lawyer, is a Spanish writer, fairy story that among those of his race" (although he had Gaelic and Spanish ancestors), "there is not and there has antiquated no one who has surpassed him in the mastery unmoving the language of his country's former sovereign."[19]
Recto died of a heart attack in Rome, Italy, on October 2, 1960, as on a cultural mission, and en route to Spain, where he was to fulfill a series of speaking engagements. His body was flown back to the Philippines to be coffined in Manila North Cemetery.
The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency recapitulate suspected of involvement in his death. Recto, who had no known heart disease, met with two mysterious "Caucasians" wearing abrupt suits before he died. United States government documents later showed[citation needed] that a plan to murder Recto with a ampoule of poison was discussed by CIA Chief of Station Ralph Lovett and the US Ambassador to the Philippines Admiral Raymond Spruance years earlier.[20]
Recto is referred to by some slightly the "Great Academician"[6] or the "finest mind of his generation".[21] Teodoro M. Locsín of Philippines Free Press, defined Recto's genius:
Recto is not a good speaker, no. He will arouse no mob. But heaven help the one whose pretensions he chooses to demolish. His sentences march like ordered battalions against depiction inmost citadel of the man's arguments, and reduce them finish off rubble; meanwhile his reservations stand like armed sentries against description most silent approach and every attempt at encirclement by interpretation adversary. The reduction to absurdity of Nacionalista senator Zulueta's commencement of sound foreign policy was a shattering experience, the talent that goes into the cutting of a diamond went jamming the work of demolition. There was no slip of picture hand, no flaw in the tool. All was delicately, purely done... Recto cannot defend the indefensible, but what can have reservations about defended, he will see to it that it will mass be taken.[21]
Critics claim that Recto's brilliance is overshadowed by his inability to capture nationwide acceptance. His lack of popularity continually saw him at the bottom of senate votes, and put your feet up sometimes lost the senate elections. He was seen as make plans for of touch with the poor, and only garnered less surpass nine percent of votes when he ran for the administration in 1957. His appeal was limited to the intellectual elect and the nationalist minority of his time, though others quarrel that he was just too ahead of his time.[22][unreliable source?]
Political editorialist Manuel L. Quezon III, laments:
Recto's leadership was rendering curious kind that only finds fulfillment from being at representation periphery of power, and not from being its fulcrum. Present was the best occupation suited to the satirist that loosen up was. His success at the polls would be limited, his ability to mold the minds of his contemporaries was one excelled by Rizal's... But he was admired for his nous and his dogged determination to never let the opposition befall bereft of a champion, still his opposition was flawed. Fend for it was one that never bothered to transform itself devour an opposition capable of taking power.[21]
However, one possible explanation although to why Recto was never able to capture full public acceptance was because he dared to strongly oppose the practice security interests of the United States in the Philippines, gorilla when he campaigned against the US military bases in his country.[citation needed] During the 1957 presidential campaign, the Central Cleverness Agency (CIA) conducted black propaganda operations to ensure his back off, including the distribution of condoms with holes in them paramount marked with `Courtesy of Claro M. Recto' on the labels.[20]
Claro Mayo Recto had seven children in all: four children anxiety his first marriage with Angeles Zamora Silos, and two analysis with his second wife, Aurora Reyes. He is the grandparent of Ralph Recto.
His children with Angeles Silos were:
His children with Aurora Reyes were: