MALACAÑAN PALACE
Manila
1:00 PM
April 19, 1970
Malacañang
Have just finished a conference with SND, J-2, 1st PC Zone Commander and his S-2 Col. Tomas Diaz, on an assessment.
All the present books on counter-subversion and counter insurgency do not deal with our peculiar problem that is distinguished by a highly sophisticated use by the subversives of media, the schools, the church, labor, peasants and even industrialists in a massive scale. This is not just the 1950 struggle, it is more insidious and perhaps more pervasive. The same objective, the same motivation but more finesse, more articulate eloquence, more propaganda, more intellectuals, more open activism in front organizations – but less arms.
This may be Maoist but it is not based on the Maoist doctrine of the rural areas being the base on the peasants and not the proletariat as the men of the revolution. So the counter-action must equally be more sophisticated
Traditionally the peasants while shown the strength of the Armed Forces, must be given an alternative to communism. In 1950 this was the Eder and the resettlement projects and some government reforms. Today it is the Magalang Agricultural Community Development Project, Tulungan and the Integrated Social Welfare Program,
economic development, CIR and CAR renovations, mobile courts and land reform.
1:20 AM
Just came from the dinner of Ronnie and Linda Velasco at their home in Dasmariñas. Sang the old songs, Red Sails in the Sunset, Balalanka, Goodnight, Sweetheart, etc.
Alex Melchor and his parlour games. The rope trick and the blanket.
I have ordered Makati as the pilot area for the registration of firearms and the organization of weekend warriors.
De Leon, our asset on the Samar Training Camp who reported the death of three of his companions, two from Central Luzon, on the way to the training camp (drowned in the rapids) was subjected by Osmeña, Nic Tumulak and security group to questioning and lie detector test. Osmeña may have finally cleared but he is being sent to Sulu. He excused himself as still being too sick. I believe they intend to liquidate him. We should now submerge him.
We must check the Iloilo situation. We will put up seven intelligence groups as permanent operating units with lateral and vertical channels of communication. Thus one unit would be covering the two islands of Negros and Panay. This is the possible hotbed of dissidence in the South.