Jose Cojuangco - World War II

World War II

In the 1940s, with less than a day's notice, he left the Cojuangco mansion (built in 1933 the year Cory Aquino was born) along Agno Street (near De La Salle University), Malate, Manila for the safety of Antipolo, Rizal (political bailiwick of his wife's relatives). Meanwhile, his aunt Ysidra and brother Eduardo fled to Baguio city where they thought the Japanese would not go and where there were large Cojuangco apartments. (Eduardo Sr's mother-in-law Gregoria Beley Murphy was in Baguio as well.) His relative Antonio stayed behind due to his son's fever.

While Ysidra Cojuangco y Estrella and her nephews and their families sought shelter at the Baguio cathedral during the bombardments, the Antonio Cojuangcos were trapped in the De La Salle University chapel where they were massacred by the desperate Japanese. Only two survived, including Ramon or "Monching" (whose second wife would later be Imelda Ongsiako Cojuangco. His young first wife Natividad "Nene" de las Alas, sister of Pacita "Ching" (the wife of Sergio Montinola), Lourdes "Lily" (wife of Senator Ambrosio Padilla and arch-enemy of another beautiful senator's wife, Imelda Marcos) and Carmencita "Menchu" (wife of Raul Concepcion of RFM Corporation ) was also hacked to death) and Lourdes or "Lulu" who was saved when the bayonet hit the baby (Monching's firstborn) she was carrying instead. She would be the wife of Luis Tirso Rivilla of the Ormoc Sugar Central later on...

As the eldest male Cojuangco, Pepe felt partly to blame for the near decimation of the Antonio Cojuangco branch. From that day on, Cojuangco and his relatives never lived in Malate ever again. He sent Monching, Lulu and his own children to the United States for their studies. (Ravenhill Academy, College of Mount Saint Vincent, et al.). He cared for Antonio's children as if they were his own.