Secretary Vargas has called me on the phone several times to ask about particular subjects and each time has told me he has been instructed by the President to have me re-detailed to Malacañan. (Contact duty requiring about 30 minutes per day.) I have told him time and again that I have no objection to doing the work, just as I have also told the President. But I’ve tried to make it clear to them that, for some reason, General MacA. planned otherwise, and my arbitrary detail by Presidential authority would make Gen. MacA furious. They, of course, want to keep on good terms with their Mil. Adv.; so the only way they can handle the matter is to get MacA approval. That, I doubt they can do –he thinks I’m likely to consider myself too important. I doubt that he even believes me when I say, the sooner I get out of here, the better I’ll like it!
Well, we’ll see what develops.
Made a trip to the Mountains Province Fri-Sat-Sunday.
Plane to Bagabag. Jitney through the rice terrace areas, plane from Naguilian.Johnny, Capt. Lewis & I on the trip.
Visited Banaue; Bontoc; Sagada (Mission) Sabantan; Mt. Data blocked there by landslide, back to Sabantan and over to Cervantes; then west to coast, down to Naguilian & home.
Rain made the narrow mountain trail treacherous, and caused many slides; all of us were jittery most of the time.
Terraces wonderful –worth the scares!