September 4, 1943, the Japanese-sponsored Constitution was Approved
The Second Philippine Republic was established during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. At the outset of the occupation, the Japanese government established a military administration over the Philippines, as well as the Philippine Executive Commission, composed of several pre-war Filipino political leaders. The KALIBAPI (Kapisanan ng Paglilingkod sa Bagong Pilipinas) was also organized, designed to be the sole and exclusive political organization in the Philippines.
On June 16, 1943, Premier Hideki Tojo promised independence to the Philippines. The KALIBAPI would then form the Preparatory Committee on Philippine Independence (PCPI), which was tasked with drafting a new Constitution. The new Constitution was approved by the Preparatory Committee on Philippine Independence on September 4, 1943 and ratified by the KALIBAPI on September 7, 1943.
The KALIBAPI then proceeded to elect part of the new National Assembly, which also included appointed members; in turn, the National Assembly elected its Speaker and then elected Jose P. Laurel as President. On October 14, 1943, in ceremonies in front of the Legislative Building in Manila, the new Republic was inaugurated, and Jose P. Laurel, the Chairman of the Preparatory Committee, assumed office as President.
Hence, the Second Republic (1943-1945) was formally proclaimed, with Jose P. Laurel Sr. appointed as President and inaugurated into office in October 14, 1943. Laurel had a degree from Tokyo International University.
Accordingly, the 1943 Constitution was recognized as legitimate and binding only in Japanese-controlled areas of the Philippines but was ignored by the United States government and the Philippine Commonwealth government in-exile.
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