Background
José Yulo Yulo was born on September 24, 1894 in Bago, Negros Occidental to Sofronio Yulo and Segunda Yulo.
José Yulo Yulo was born on September 24, 1894 in Bago, Negros Occidental to Sofronio Yulo and Segunda Yulo.
He obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of the Philippines and placed third the Bar in 1913. However, due to his age, did not practice law until two years later.
Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines (February 5, 1942 - May 2, 1942)
He became distinguished as one of the best corporation lawyers in the Philippines. Appointed as Justice Secretary by Governor-General Frank Murphy and President Manuel L. Quezon in 1934 and 1935, he was elected to the National Assembly of the Philippines representing the province of Negros Occidental, becoming its Speaker under the ruling Nacionalista Party on its convening session in 1939. The 1935 Philippine Constitution was amended in 1940 changing the unicameral legislature system into a bicameral system thus the National Assembly was divided into a Senate and a House of Representatives.
Yulo remained as Speaker of the House.
He was the only former Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines to be subsequently appointed as Chief Justice. Despite the difficulties experienced under Japanese occupation, Yulo attempted to maintain the integrity of the judiciary despite pressure from the Japanese military to sway decisions on certain cases.
Yulo was the presidential candidate of the Philippine Liberal Party in the 1957 presidential elections, eventually losing to incumbent President Carlos P. Garcia. Yulo was later appointed by President Ferdinand Marcos as Secretary of Justice in from January 1, 1966 to August 4, 1967.
Yulo died of respiratory failure as a result of atherosclerosis at Makati Medical Center in Makati at 10:10 Department of Administration and Management on October 27, 1976.
He was buried in Canlubang, Calamba, Laguna on October 30, 1976.
Yulo served in all of the branches of government: Legislative, as House Speaker and Representative. Executive, as Secretary of Justice and member of the Cabinet. And the Judiciary as the Chief Magistrate.
Following the Japanese conquest of the Philippines in 1942, Yulo was selected to be a member of the Preparatory Committee for Philippine Independence, and the establishment of the Second Philippine Republic in 1943, Yulo was appointed as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.