MALACAÑAN PALACE
Manila
10:55 PM
January 22, 1971
Friday
While everybody has been saying that the demonstration on Monday, Jan. 25th would be peaceful, tonight the Esso building at Marques de Comillas was completely burned and one man inside killed (after an explosion), the Caltex building at Roxas Boulevard was damaged severely in its front by a bomb with two men slightly injured and a Pandacan gasoline station also bombed. I attach report.
Had a briefing at the Intelligence and GHQ at which later briefing of the National Security Council, I had an unpleasant incident with Minority Floor Leader Justiniano Montano who in his usual arrogant way was denouncing me and the administration, bragging about his courage and insulting me personally. When I rebuked him for this calling his attention to the fact that this was an objective presentation where we should not interject politics, he became more overbearing and agitated.
Sen. Gerardo Roxas also took umbrage on my remarks that the Liberals were over-reacting to the statements on martial law when those were made to prevent violence.
We finally settled down to a calmer session when I wisecracked about our quarreling about nothing.
Cagayan and Zambales came to pledge loyalty with their governors.
I worked on my State of the Nation address. Much too long.
Imelda has been busy the whole day and is suffering from a pain in the right lumbar. Dr. Gloria Aragon says it may be her old kidney ailment as her kidney may have gone down because of her slimming program. She has been advised to stop her dieting and to rest.