“’Go after the communists and their cells in all areas of activity. There must be no abuse of power. We must show restraint and responsibility. We must allow the functions of government to function normally under military supervision. The operations must be swift and clean. After the objective is attained then, the authority must be returned to the civil government.”
“’If we do not have enough men to take over all the media then we should close all the newspapers and television and radio stations leaving one of each only to communicate to the people.”
“Even if I am not there, follow the contingency plan unerringly and with resolution.”
“If I should be unconscious, I must be revived so I can sign the proclamation. And even if I cannot actively command, my plans must be followed.”
These were my orders to Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile, Gen. [Manuel] Yan, Gen. [Romeo] Espino, Gen. [Rafael] Ileto, Gen. [Fidel] Ramos and Col. [Fabian] Ver this evening at 7:30 PM to 9:00 PM during the conference on the contingency plan.
I attach a disturbing report which reflects on the character of Gen. Yan, Com. [Remo] Lavadia and Gen. [Reynaldo] Perez.
So now we must strengthen the staff of Gen. Espino to watch over the movements of Gen. Yan and control the message center in GHQ [General Headquarters].
Official Gazette for January 21, 1971: PRESIDENT MARCOS whittled down his schedule of callers to only one group, even as he concentrated once more to paper work and urgent state business.
It was already late in the afternoon when he left his desk at his private study to meet with vegetable and egg dealers on the prices of prime consumer goods in view of reports of price hikes in these items.
The President appealed to the group to see to it that prices of prime commodities are maintained at reasonable levels, adding that the government would keep close watch of price trends.
In the course of the conference, the President ordered the release of ₱2 million for the operations of the Greater Manila Terminal Food Market and the extention of credit for the department of agriculture for the replanting of some 150,000 hectares of agricultural lands.
Among the Chinese businessmen present were Johnson Robert Go of Robina Farms, Tammy Chua of General Milling; and Kho Han Seng of the Vegetable and Fruit Dealers Association.
While engaged in paper work in the morning the President signed the appointment of Dr. Domingo Soriano as acting president of Central Luzon Teachers College, vice Mariano Raquel who retired from the service.
Soriano’s appointment to the CLTC was unanimously recommended by the college’s board of trustees
There was a fire at the City Hall which started at the room of Judge [Elias] Asuncion from an overheated electric fan.
The drivers’ leaders could not agree on a quiet solution of the oil products prices. I met them (de Luna, Gervero and Lupine Lazaro) this noon up to 1:30 from 12:30.
I also met the Public Service Commission at [Bahay] Pangarap before that and they have decided to hear the Motion for Reconsideration of the Meralco [Manila Electric Company] rates on Jan. 28th.
It looks like the students may have called off their demonstration in Congress so that as they say, “Marcos will have no reason to proclaim martial law.”
Tony [Antonio] Policarpio called up at about 11:00 PM to tell me that the labor leaders have decided to send a delegation to Congress on the 25th although Tony Diaz and Eddie [Edmundo] Nolasco of Philcontu registered votes against the plan.