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October 4, 1972

10:35 PM

Oct. 4, 1972

Wednesday

Malacañan Palace

Manila

Met the priests who have been released –Fathers Lagermay, Floresca, and Rabang. We agreed we were working for the same objectives but that they should now help us by being the liaison with the Philippine Priests Asso. for the last two and the foreign priests for the first who immediately wanted the government to finance the magazine he publishes “Ang Tao” on a propaganda campaign.

Fathers Floresca and Rabang both claimed they too were working for a radical change inside the church.

Then met the Association — the Asian Press Institute of which Chino Roces is the President. I agreed to their meeting the detainees, working a Press Consultative Panel to negotiate the normalization of relationship between the government and media –it being agreed that the Consultative Panel will be composed mostly of our men in government. Kits Tatad has issued a communique with them.

Approved the Bureau of Posts dismissals and the release of Cong. Carlos Imperial provided he helps in the campaign to surrender the arms of his men. And the release of Labor Leader Vicente Rafael.

Tonight I was interviewed by Wall Street Journal’s Peter Kahn. And the U.S. World and News Reports Mack Chrysler. The first is a Pulitzer Prize winner on his reporting on the Bangladesh war and the second is an old hand in Asia.

The New York Times editorial of Oct. 4, 1972 said for the genuine economic & social reforms “the Phil. President deserves open encouragement from the U.S. government. This could take the form of generous economic assistance for programs to help the majority of Filipinos who have profited little or not at all from 26 years of national independence”

I attach cabled report on editorial.