MALACAÑAN PALACE
Manila
10:00 PM
February 7, 1971
Sunday
We docked at Pier 5 at 7:30 PM after coming from the Esso pier at Limay, Bataan at 6:00 PM. I brought the Berlins to the Dambana Ng Kagitingan which they admired. We had docked at the Esso pier at 3:30 PM and left by our cars which we had asked to come all the way from Manila at 4:00 PM. It took us about 40 minutes to get to Mt. Samat.
We were supposed to go by helicopter to Mt. Samat from Corregidor where we docked at 8:00 AM but the wind was about 50 knots an hour and gusty so we went to Talaga Bay by the 777 at about 11:30 AM (it took us some time to see Corregidor as the visit included a 50-minute film “The Flame and the Sea” at the auditorium of the Pacific War Memorial, although the Berlins who are close friends of Jean MacArthur thoroughly enjoyed it and were greatly impressed).
Left Talaga Bay after lunch and a short visit to the beach house with Mr. Richard Berlin whom we were calling Dick by now, while “Honey” rested.
Last night they had stayed up to 3:30 AM singing and dancing. I went to sleep at 2:00 PM and woke up 8:30 AM.
The strike leader, Atty. Lupino Lazaro, has again reneged on his promise. He did not call off the strike of the jeepney drivers. Typical of him.
The situation in the UP (Diliman) has worsened. Ninoy Aquino who met with Sec. Ponce Enrile says the radicals have Armalites and a machine gun, have been visited by Jose Maria Sison twice, but are not helped by Dante, whose commanders, Commander Pusa etc., met him (Aquino) last week in Novaliches.
And this is confirmed by a spokesman of the non-academic personnel of the UP community, Mr. Ramon J. Fernando of 27 M. Viola St., Area 3, UP Campus.
I enclose his letter as well as the report of Nering Andolong, urgently requesting the intervention of the national government or giving them arms and ammunition to fight the radical students.
I have ordered the acceleration of the plans by the military to take over the UP campus through the Metrocom.
In Los Baños, the mayor let a protest demonstration of 600 against the students barricading the streets to and in the U.P.
Tomorrow, there will be a mass demonstration where the radical students will close Jones Bridge. Mayor Villegas has given them a permit and now he asks for 200 PC men to support his police and under his control. I have ordered that they be held available but in reserve and under the operational control of the highest PC officer.
The situation is developing where the people themselves will be demanding the proclamation of martial law.