The People’s March was a flop. Only about 5,000 at the most joined. The march was supposed to get the support of the people in the streets and houses but it did not. Only a few of the spectators joined. It has ended in some Molotov cocktails thrown at the U.S. Embassy, three men caught with handguns at the Mini Golf, someone caught lobbing a Molotov cocktail in Congress, another bag of Molotov cocktails abandoned at the Finance building, about 30 arrested, 14 in the hospital and one serious with a cracked head.
Father [Pacifico] Ortiz’ abusive and arrogant reply to my supposed charge that the Jesuits were fomenting the revolution (which I have denied and which is untrue) has brought out the image of the friar who brought about the Revolution of 1896. And the people are saying, the priest talks like a king and the king talks softly like a priest.
Father [Jose] Blanco was here and he has been included in the lecturers of the Imelda teach-ins in Malacañang.
I still have my doubts about going into retreat in a Jesuit house. I still want to, however.
Official Gazette for March 3, 1970: President Marcos met with various key officials of the government.
The President also accepted the credentials of two new ambassadors accredited with the Philippine government in presentation ceremonies held at the Palace ceremonial hall. Earlier in the morning, the President received Lt. Gen. Lucious D. Clay. Jr., Vice Chief of staff of the United States Air Force, Pacific, with head quarters in Honolulu, Hawaii. Accompanied to Malacañang by U. S. Ambassador Henry Byroade, Gen. Clay is currently on a round of calls on heads of states within the Pacific area following his assumption of his new post. The President received the letters of credence of Ambassador Khurram Khan Panni and Ambassador B. Devi Rao, new Pakistani and Indian envoys to the Philippines, respectively, in separate presentation ceremonies attended by members of the Cabinet headed by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Carlos P. Romulo. In accepting their credentials, the President told the new envoys that the Philippines will continue to maintain close collaboration and cooperation with the Republics of India and Pakistan.
Back at his study, the President held conferences with a number of key government officials, including some members of his Cabinet who consulted him on pressing problems in their respective departments. Among those who saw the President were Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor Jr., Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile, Secretary of Justice Felix V. Makasiar, Secretary of Finance Cesar E. A. Virata, NEC Chairman Placido Mapa, Jr., and Commissioner of the Budget Faustino Sy-Changco. The President also conferred with Brig. Gen. Carlos Oanes, IV PC zone commander, and the provincial commanders of Cotabato, Sulu and the two Lanao provinces who reported on the peace and order situation in the South.
Chronicle head count 10,000 on a six-hour rally from Mayon in QC to Lawton in Manila. Jeepney drivers strike.
Talked to Bibilo Prieto about Chino [Joaquin] Roces. Bibilo was brought to [Bahay] Pangarap by Neling Nieto.
The Northern Congressmen were in for dinner. Frisco San Juan feels that these series of demonstrations is debilitating to our economy and should be brought to a crisis and resolved. Yes it is like benign tertian malaria, the type hardest to cure. It should be resolved and cured soon. Frisco says he could provoke violence by the communists by introducing and starting the discussion of a bill making the anti-subversive act more strict.