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Filipino politician

Sergio "Serging" Veloso Osmeña Jr. (December 4, 1916 – March 26, 1984) was a Filipino politician who served as a Senator of the Philippines, and ran against Ferdinand Marcos in the 1969 Philippine Presidential election. He was the son of Sergio Osmeña, the fourth president of the Philippines. His son, Sergio "Serge" Osmeña III, was also a Senator of the Philippines.

Osmeña was born in the town of Cebu on December 4, 1916, to Sergio Osmeña Sr., then the House Speaker and representative from the 2nd district of Cebu, and Estefania Chiong Veloso. He had a brother, Emilio Osmeña, father of Emilio Mario Osmeña Jr. and John Henry Osmeña. He graduated Associate of Arts, cum laude, from Ateneo de Manila University on 1935, and Bachelor of Science in commerce, summa cum laude, from New York University in 1936. After graduating which Osmeña opened an import export business in New York.

Osmeña collaborated with the Japanese in World War II. He escaped justice and returned to the Philippines and became President of the De La Rama Steamship Company, Inc. This rapid campaign spending was so massive that it would be responsible for the Balance of Payments Crisis of 1970, whose inflationary effect would cause social unrest leading all the way up to the proclamation of Martial Law in 1972. Marcos was reported to have spent PhP 100 for every PhP 1 that Osmena spent, using up PhP 24 Million in Cebu alone.

Following his defeat, Osmeña continued as a leader in the Liberal Party. On August 21, 1971, Osmeña along with prominent members of the Liberal Party held a proclamation rally at the Plaza Miranda in Quiapo, Manila. While on stage with the other Liberal leaders, two hand grenades were thrown on stage, injuring Osmeña. The Plaza Miranda bombing injured 95, including Osmeña, and killed nine. Afterwards, Osmeña left for the United States and lived in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California. Marcos proclaimed martial law in September 1972, citing the threat of the Communist Party of the Philippines and the rebellion of the Muslim Independence Movement. Marcos also submitted documents to the US Congress charging that the declaration of martial law was also due to a plot to kill him. He claimed that Osmeña was a key figure in the plot, although no formal charges were filed against him.