Feb. 19, 1886: The birth of Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos, WWII hero

Jose Abad Santos / Photo from Wikipedia

Jose Abad Santos was born in San Fernando, Pampanga, on Feb. 19, 1886. His immediate family was very large and had only modest means. Despite the modest background, Jose and several of his siblings had distinguished careers.

During the Philippine-American War, the 10-year-old Jose served as a courier for the Philippine Revolutionary forces. Following the war, Jose took advantage of the benefits of American colonialism in the Philippines. He applied and was granted a scholarship to study in the United States. He was labeled a “pensionado.”

Jose studied at three American colleges. First, he attended Santa Clara College in California and earned his pre-law degree. Next, he enrolled at Northwestern University in Illinois and obtained a Bachelor of Law degree. Finally, he was granted a Master of Law degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

After returning to the Philippines with several prestigious American degrees, Jose passed the Philippine bar examination in 1911. During the next 30 years, Jose served with distinction in legal positions, government services and on the Philippine Supreme Court as an Associate Justice, and finally as Chief Justice.

During the early days of Japanese occupation of the Philippines, Judge Santos along with President Manuel Quezon and other members of the Philippine Commonwealth evacuated to Corregidor Island in Manila Bay. At that time, the judge administrated the oath of office to President Quezon who had won a second term as President of the commonwealth in November 1941.

President Quezon wanted Judge Santos to evacuate with him to Australia and eventually to the United States. The Chief Justice refused the request. He chose to stay in the Philippine to protect his family and to serve the Filipino people. President Quezon appointed him as the acting president and commander-in-chief.

Unfortunately, the judge and his son were captured by Japanese soldiers in Cebu on April 11, 1942. Once the Japanese leadership confirmed his position in the Philippine Commonwealth, the Japanese wanted him to support and serve the Japanese occupation government. Judge Santos refused to comply. For his heroic stance, he was sentenced to execution by a firing squad.

On May 1, 1942, Jose Abad Santos was executed at Malabang at Lanao del Sur Province. His son was spared execution. Prior to his death, Jose told his emotional son not to cry. He said that “… it’s a rare opportunity for me to die for our country. Not everyone is given that chance.”

Jose Abad Santos could have spent World War II protected and comfortable with the exiled Philippine Commonwealth government in the United States. He unselfishly chose to protect and serve his family and his country.

Dennis Edward Flake is the author of three books on Philippine-American history. He is a Public Historian and a former park ranger in interpretation for the National Park Service at the Eisenhower National Historic Site in Gettysburg, PA. He can be contacted at: flakedennis@gmail.com