Tag: Bahay Pangarap

September 14, 1972, Thursday

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(1)

11:50 PM

Sept. 14, 1972

Thursday

Malacañan Palace

Manila

After golf, at 9:00 at my room at Pangarap while taking breakfast, I told the SND, C of S, Major Service Commanders (Gen. Ramos, PC, Gen. Zagala, PA, Romando, PAF and Commodore Ruiz, PN) Gen. Ver and Gen. Paranis that I intend to declare martial law to liquidate the communist apparatus, reform our government and society, then have the Concon ratify our acts and the people can confirm it by plebiscite and return to constitutional processes; but that I needed at least one year and two months; that this would be a legitimate exercise of my emergency powers under the constitution as clarified by the Habeas Corpus case by the Supreme Court last January; that we need to cure the ills of our society by radical means (I mentioned corruption, tax evasion, criminality, smuggling, lack of discipline, unequal opportunities) so we must keep our moves clean and submerge self-interest.

I asked for any objection to the plan and there was none except for the observation of Gen. Ramos that the closing of the media should be done by a civilian minister supported by the military, and Gen. Gen. Rancudo who wanted missions definitely assigned to each branch of the service.

 

(2)

Sept. 14th (Con’t)

Malacañan Palace

Manila

Amb. Byroade came to see me after the presentation of credentials by the new Malaysian ambassador.

He left me the Memorandum of Conversation of Marshall Green, Asst Sec of State, East Asian and Pacific Affairs and our Amb. Eduardo Romualdez.

I attach copies of the same.

Then he explained that he kept White House informed weekly of developments here — and that the communist threat was increasing.

We talked of the parity decision, the Lustovaco decision as well as the other developments against the Americans. He claimed that the US senators had indicated a desire to dismantle the sugar quota.

I told him he might start something that would have no end; and that anyway the sugar industry was ready to lose the quota for the national welfare and sell our sugar in the world market.

I suggested that while we in the Philippines were talking of survival, the Americans were talking of property and profits. And we were not thinking in the same plane.

He said he had heard from other persons

 

(3)

Sept. 14th (Con’t)

Malacañan Palace

Manila

that I had said I could not get through to the State Department and I confirmed this.

So he explained his reports direct to the White House.

Met the Japanese Parliamentary delegation decorated with the Datu of the Order of Kalantiao. The Grand Chancellor of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, Quintin Jeremy Goyn.

And finalized the agreements with the governor and mayors of Isabela:

1. Unified Command — Gen. Zapala comes back to run the PA.

2. No evacuation of civilians but civic action

3. Mobile check points with policemen included

4. Training and arming of chosen policemen but Armed Forces was to be always with them.

5. Punishment for treachery shall be immediate.

6. Release of Calamity and Public Works Funds.

Friday, January 9, 1970

01 Diary of Ferdinand Marcos, 1970, 0001-0099 (Jan01-Feb28) 23 01 Diary of Ferdinand Marcos, 1970, 0001-0099 (Jan01-Feb28) 24

PAGE 20

Malacañang

Manila

[Marginal note: Laurel and Puyat and even Villareal say: “There is only one elector we have to campaign for and win – and he is in Malacañang.”]

Friday

January 9, 1970

Breakfast with Speaker Laurel, Speaker Pro Temp Jose Aldeguer and Maj. Floor Leader Marcelino Veloso. Told him of the drift towards the left and the fear of political leaders, businessmen and the military that we are not taking steps to prevent it but are instead encouraging it. He has agreed to remove Emmanuel Yap, head of Cepo and his next in rank Lichauco.

Then met with Former Speaker Villareal and Com on Appro Chairman Jose Alberto who agreed that we call a Nacionalista House Members Caucus Tuesday, Jan. 13th 10:00 AM at Pangarap. I intend to interview the different blocs and see who is supported by the majority.

But we must not allow the Nacionalista Party to split up on this rivalries. We must keep our old cohesion. So I also intend to call Pres. Pro Temp Jose Roy, rival of Pres Puyat for the Presidency of the Senate.

A demonstration of Batanes students – about 500 asked for arrest of those still terrorizing would-be witnesses. They claim PC helpless. So I have ordered the NBI deputy chief, Ponciano Fernando to personally go with 12 PC men who are from Batanes, to obtain evidence against, identify, arrest and prosecute all the alleged terrorists. I challenged the young men and women to fight for their rights by testifying and convincing their relatives, friends and fellow Batanenses to testify.

I am happy that my speech before the Rotary yesterday noon on Open Skies for one year and lifting of the suspension of loans for mining and new export oriented industries has been taken well.

I can feel the confidence surging back to our people. Standard remark was: “We did not know this was being done. We are glad he is President.” Soft-soap but gratifying.

PAGE 21

Malacañang

Manila

Earl Mazo, Nixon’s biographer, has just interviewed me and he says Imelda and I are so high above the newspapers and the crowd now that we should not be concerned what the papers print because if it is bad, the people will not believe it anyway.

Two questions have come up in his interview:

1. Are the U.S. military bases in the Philippines a deterrent or a magnet to bombing and/or nuclear attack. (The Recto & Laurel position is that they are mere magnets not deterrents and are not only useless but prejudicial to Philippine national interest.) I personally believe that now with the present nuclear capability of Red China and the ABM buildup of the U.S., we need the bases for the defense of the Phil. If China had not developed its nuclear capability we would not need them. Pres. Nixon explained to me last March when Imelda and I attended the Eisenhower memorial services in Washington D.C. how the U.S. would use the ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) to counter-act any nuclear threat from Red China.

2. What will happen to our economy, specially the sugar industry if the IS does not extend our special preferences. (Of course the sugar industry would collapse because special preferences or the quota given us in the American market allows us to sell our sugar at the favored price of 7 cents a pound as against 3 cents a pound in the world market. And our cost of production is from 3 to 4 cents a pound. Our dollar earnings from sugar alone is $160 million out of a total dollar earnings of $1.5 billion.)