Lorenzo Sumulong
Encyclopedia
Lorenzo Sumulong was a Filipino
politician who served in the Philippine Senate
for four decades, and as a delegate
of his country to the United Nations
. He was noted for having engaged in a debate with Nikita Khrushchev
at the United Nations General Assembly
that provoked the Soviet Union
Premier to famously bang his shoe on a desk.
, Rizal. He finished law at the University of the Philippines
College of Law
and went on to top the 1929 bar examinations. In 1932, he obtained a Masters of Law degree from Harvard Law School
, Sumulong won a seat in the House of Representatives
, representing the 2nd District of Rizal. In 1949
, Sumulong was elected to the Philippine Senate
. He won re-election to the Senate in 1955 and in 1961. He did not seek re-election in 1967, but would return to the Senate in the 1969 elections
. In all, Sumulong remained in Congress for 24 years, initially under the Liberal Party
, but later under the Nacionalista Party. He served through the 1st Congress
until the 7th Congress
.
During his 21-year stint as senator, Sumulong became the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accountability (also known as the Blue Ribbon Committee). Through that high-profile position, he investigated noted national controversies such as the Tambobong-Buenavista Estate deal and the Harry Stonehill scandals.
in 1960. During that meeting, Sumulong took the floor and delivered the following remarks challenging the Soviet Union
to allow the people of Eastern Europe
the free exercise of their civil and political rights.
Khrushchev was incensed by Sumulong's remarks. He denounced the Filipino senator as "a jerk, a stooge and a lackey of imperialism". Khrushchev then took out his shoe, waved it at Sumulong, then banged the shoe on the desk in front of him. The following day, Khrushchev acknowledged that he had offended Sumulong, though he asserted that he in turn was likewise offended by the delegate from the Philippines.
Ferdinand Marcos
. In 1987, President Corazon Aquino
named Sumulong to the Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Philippine Constitution
. He died on October 21, 1997 at the age of 92.
Lorenzo is the father of Victor Sumulong
, who served as congressman and mayor of Antipolo City
during the Estrada
and Arroyo
administrations. Lorenzo is also the grandfather of Miguel Sumulong and Monica Sumulong.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
politician who served in the Philippine Senate
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
for four decades, and as a delegate
Delegate
A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization at a meeting or conference between organizations of the same level A delegate is a person who speaks or acts on behalf of an organization (e.g., a government, a charity, an NGO, or a trade union) at a meeting or conference...
of his country to the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
. He was noted for having engaged in a debate with Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Khrushchev
Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev led the Soviet Union during part of the Cold War. He served as First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1953 to 1964, and as Chairman of the Council of Ministers, or Premier, from 1958 to 1964...
at the United Nations General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
that provoked the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Premier to famously bang his shoe on a desk.
Early life and education
Sumulong was born in AntipoloAntipolo City
Antipolo is a city in the Philippines located in the province of Rizal; about 25 kilometers east of Manila. It is the largest city in the Calabarzon Region in terms of population...
, Rizal. He finished law at the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
College of Law
University of the Philippines College of Law
University of the Philippines College of Law or UP Law is the law school of the University of the Philippines. Since 1948, it has been located at the University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City, the flagship campus of UP's seven constituent universities. Until the 1970s, night classes of...
and went on to top the 1929 bar examinations. In 1932, he obtained a Masters of Law degree from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
Political career
Sumulong began his political career as a municipal councilor in Antipolo. In the 1946 general electionsPhilippine general election, 1946
The Elections for the members of the Senate held on April 23, 1946 .-Background:Soon after the reconstitution of the Commonwealth Government in 1945 Senators Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino and their allies called for the holding on an early national election to choose the president and vice...
, Sumulong won a seat in the House of Representatives
House of Representatives of the Philippines
The House of Representatives of the Philippines is the lower chamber of the...
, representing the 2nd District of Rizal. In 1949
Philippine general election, 1949
Elections for the members of the Senate were held on November 8, 1949 in the Philippines. While President Elpidio Quirino won a full term as President of the Philippines after the death of President Manuel Roxas in 1948, and his running mate, Senator Fernando Lopez won as Vice President, their...
, Sumulong was elected to the Philippine Senate
Senate of the Philippines
The Senate of the Philippines is the upper chamber of the bicameral legislature of the Philippines, the Congress of the Philippines...
. He won re-election to the Senate in 1955 and in 1961. He did not seek re-election in 1967, but would return to the Senate in the 1969 elections
Philippine general election, 1969
A senatorial election was held on November 11, 1969 in the Philippines. While incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos won an unprecedented second full term as President of the Philippines, and his running mate, incumbent Vice President Fernando Lopez was also elected to a third full term as Vice...
. In all, Sumulong remained in Congress for 24 years, initially under the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Philippines)
The Liberal Party of the Philippines is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded by then senators Senate President Manuel Roxas, Senate President Pro-Tempore Elpidio Quirino, and former 9th Senatorial District Senator Jose Avelino, on November 24, 1945 by a breakaway Liberal group from the...
, but later under the Nacionalista Party. He served through the 1st Congress
1st Congress of the Philippines
The First Congress of the Philippines was the meeting of the legislature of the Republic of the Philippines, composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives from May 25, 1946 until December 13, 1949. The body was originally convened as the Second Congress of the Commonwealth of the...
until the 7th Congress
7th Congress of the Philippines
The Seventh Congress of the Philippines was the meeting of the legislature of the Republic of the Philippines, composed of the Philippine Senate and House of Representatives from January 26, 1970 until it was effectively dissolved with the declaration of martial law on September 23, 1972 by...
.
During his 21-year stint as senator, Sumulong became the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Accountability (also known as the Blue Ribbon Committee). Through that high-profile position, he investigated noted national controversies such as the Tambobong-Buenavista Estate deal and the Harry Stonehill scandals.
Faceoff with Khrushchev
Sumulong also served as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, and in that capacity, he led a Philippine delegation to the 902nd Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General AssemblyUnited Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
in 1960. During that meeting, Sumulong took the floor and delivered the following remarks challenging the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
to allow the people of Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe
Eastern Europe is the eastern part of Europe. The term has widely disparate geopolitical, geographical, cultural and socioeconomic readings, which makes it highly context-dependent and even volatile, and there are "almost as many definitions of Eastern Europe as there are scholars of the region"...
the free exercise of their civil and political rights.
Khrushchev was incensed by Sumulong's remarks. He denounced the Filipino senator as "a jerk, a stooge and a lackey of imperialism". Khrushchev then took out his shoe, waved it at Sumulong, then banged the shoe on the desk in front of him. The following day, Khrushchev acknowledged that he had offended Sumulong, though he asserted that he in turn was likewise offended by the delegate from the Philippines.
Later life
Sumulong's service in Congress ended in 1972, with the abolition of the Philippine Senate upon the declaration of martial law by PresidentPresident of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
. In 1987, President Corazon Aquino
Corazon Aquino
Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco-Aquino was the 11th President of the Philippines and the first woman to hold that office in Philippine history. She is best remembered for leading the 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled Ferdinand Marcos and restored democracy in the Philippines...
named Sumulong to the Constitutional Commission that drafted the 1987 Philippine Constitution
Constitution of the Philippines
The Constitution of the Philippines is the supreme law of the Philippines.The Constitution currently in effect was enacted in 1987, during the administration of President Corazon Aquino, and is popularly known as the "1987 Constitution"...
. He died on October 21, 1997 at the age of 92.
Lorenzo is the father of Victor Sumulong
Victor Sumulong
Victor R. Sumulong was a Filipino politician.Sumulong was the son of Lorenzo Sumulong, who served in the Philippine Senate for 21 years and once famously provoked Soviet Union premier Nikita Khrushchev to bang his shoe at the United Nations...
, who served as congressman and mayor of Antipolo City
Antipolo City
Antipolo is a city in the Philippines located in the province of Rizal; about 25 kilometers east of Manila. It is the largest city in the Calabarzon Region in terms of population...
during the Estrada
Joseph Estrada
Joseph "Erap" Ejercito Estrada was the 13th President of the Philippines, serving from 1998 until 2001. Estrada was the first person in the Post-EDSA era to be elected both to the presidency and vice-presidency.Estrada gained popularity as a film actor, playing the lead role in over 100 films in...
and Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
administrations. Lorenzo is also the grandfather of Miguel Sumulong and Monica Sumulong.