Office of the President
of the Philippines
Malacañang
February 20, 1970
Thursday
12:15 AM
I have asked Gens Yan and Ileto to advance and accelerate preparations in the event that the Maoists accelerate their schedule. Another violent demonstration like last night and according to our intelligence the next targets for sabotage are the public utilities and the big establishments, and I may have to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.
Ambassador Byroade filed a strong protest for the vandalism, arson and destruction in the U.S. Embassy last night. I have asked Mayor Villegas to explain his inaction.
Gen. Ordoñez of the Metrocom suffered head wounds last night.
I asked Ernesto Rufino, Vicente Rufino and Carlos Palanca to withdraw advertisements from the Manila Times which was openly supporting revolution and the communist cause. They agreed to do so.
I have convinced Maceda to stay in PACD and he still acted like a spoiled brat. I had to tell him that his employees were talking of his bringing women to the Executive Secretary’s office at night and that he was getting too arrogant.
Gen. Rancudo has put up a SSB for direct communications between my office and the 5th Fighter Wing.
The headline in the Bulletin has caused consternation among some senators as the secret orders if anything untoward happens to me has alarmed them of the military taking over. But this only if all the civilian government leaders are liquidated which is far-fetched.
February 20, 1970
Friday
10:00 PM
The report of the IMF and the solution acceptable to them has come in with Gov. Licaros. It is a multiple rate – a floating rate for all imports; all earnings of principal exports of copra, logs, sugar and copper concentrate to be surrendered to the Central Bank at the legal rate of ₱3.90 to the dollar except for 20% which will be allowed to be retained by the exporter and sold at the floating or free rate. Imports of luxuries and travel should be restricted. This will be an industrial development scheme. All the lesser exports will benefit and will be encouraged.
It should be approved by our Monetary Board by now, effective tomorrow, Saturday, morning at 6:00 AM to coincide with the approval of the IMF Executive Board in Washington. We must watch prices.
Met with Byroade and Jim Rafferty to offer my personal apologies. Those crazy Americans for a time thought that I had deflected the rallies from Malacañang to the U.S. Embassy to get them involved. Ridiculous!
But Romulo is getting senile. That note of his in answer to the stiff protest of the Americans was off the beam. It speaks of there being valid ground for the attacks against the Americans and the Americans to ponder on the solution of the problems between the two countries. I have to replace Romulo soon. This is not the way to treat a wounded ally.
More and more people are demanding sterner measures against the demonstrators. The Chamber of Filipino Retailers and small merchants demand protection for life and property.
Met with the Moslem student leaders with their demands – specially Zamboanga and Basilan.