We came in on the 777 at about 1:30 PM. As we were eating lunch we stopped the boat while the Ford party dressed up. We said good-bye at the pier at about 2:00 PM.
The dinner at Maharlika last night was a smashing success with the two young girls dancing—Imee the Asik and Irene the Itik-Itik.
I called Henry Ford II the symbol of capitalism with a conscience.
We then went to the 777 at about 11:00 PM and went on a cruise at Manila Bay. We
Official Gazette for March 2, 1971: PRESIDENT MARCOS worked on state papers through the morning, among other things designating Assistant Executive Secretary Ponciano G.A. Mathay as acting secretary of justice, during the absence of Justice Secretary Vicente Abad Santos who left for abroad to attend an international conference; and extending pardons to 45 penalized jockeys and racehorses.
In the afternoon, the President conferred with Mindanao leaders on the Cotabato situation, with the aim of restoring as soon as possible normalcy to that province.
The President appealed for understanding, particularly to the people of Cotabato—Muslims, Christian, and Tirurays—in order to maintain the unity of the people under one Republic and one flag.
At the end of the three-hour conference, it was agreed that the agreement of December 27, 1970, arrived at in a peace conference in Cotabato, be fully implemented.
The agreement was that all unlicensed guns would be confiscated in an intensive province-wide campaign, the Philippine Constabulary and all other law enforcement agencies work on the investigation of alleged training grounds of armed men to stop once and for all the suspicions of alleged activities of armed elements whether outlaws or subversive organization, and the civic action work will continue.
Present at the conference were Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr., Rep. Salipada Pendatun of Cotabato, Senators Mamintal Tamano, Leonardo Perez, Alejandro Almendras, Lorenzo Tañada and Helena Benitez of the Senate committee on national minorities.
Reps Ramon Durano, Guillermo Sanchez, Mariano Peñaflorida, Manuel Zosa, Felipe Azcuna, Corazon Primicias, Antonio Villar, and Benjamin Perez, Artemio Mate, Teodoro Galagar and Pedro Roa of the House committee on national minorities;
Gov. Simeon Datumanong, Lt. Col. Carlos Cajelo, Bishop Constancio Manguramas, and Mayor Datu Dalid of the Cotabato Peace Commission; Mayors Nicolas Dequiña of Midsayap, P. de la Cerna of Libungan, Jorge Labog of Lebak, Hadji Drus Ali of Palimbag, Datu Michael Sinsuat of Upi, Don Ampatuan of Bagumbayan; Reps. Ali Dimaporo and Indanan Anni, Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile, Defense Undersecretaries Efren Plana and Jose Crisol, Gen. Manuel Yan, Brig. Gen. Eduardo Garcia, Brig. Gen. Rafael Ileto, Brig. Gen. Fidel Ramos, Datu Abdullah Sangki, Ester Blah Sinsuat and others.
Among the few callers received by the President during the day were Mrs. Anna Chenault, who called on the President to pay her respects, and a number of provincial governors and city mayors, who took up matters concerning their respective constituencies.
The President then inducted former Justice Undersecretary Ramon Fernandez and former CFI Judge Luis B. Reyes, as associate justices of the Court of Appeals; and Assistant Executive Secretary Ponciano G.A. Mathay as acting Secretary of Justice.
The appointments of Justices Fernandez and Reyes were approved by the Commission on Appointments.
Secretary Mathay would head the justice department in the absence of Secretary Vicente Abad Santos who left to represent the Philippines in the conference on the Peaceful Uses of the Seabed and Ocean Floor Beyond the Limits of Jurisdiction.
stayed up to 4:30 AM. We were at Talaga Bay at 6:30 AM. We woke up at 8:30 AM. Went swimming, Corregidor and back by helicopter at 11:00 AM. At 11:30 AM we were on the way back to Manila.
The guests apparently enjoyed themselves specially Cristina Ford who was dancing all the time and even teasing the Jesuit priest Father Mafalen [MacPhelin] as well as the other boys. She even kissed him in the lips. As Mrs. O’Donnell said, “Cristina was about to seduce the priest.”
I held the peace conference from 4:20 to 7:30 PM, one hour and 20 minutes late as I talked to Imelda.
We agreed that the towns of Pikit, Pagalungan, Midsayap, Carmen would be placed under PC [Philippine Constabulary] control.
But the PC will impartially pursue and destroy any violators of the law and disturbers of the peace.
Mayor [Nicolas] Dequiña of Midsayap admitted to me that the Ilongos are prepared to fight the Moslems and now have the upper hand. He said even the Ilocanos (600 of them) are up in arms against the Moslems as their carabaos were continuously being stolen.
And the Moslems have organized the MIM [Mindanao Independence Movement] under Ex-Gov. Udtog Matalam who is giving arms even to the outlaws.
But even La Union has its problems of peace and order, 4 policemen of San Fernando killed then a Bawang policeman. The mayor of Sudipen has been shot at.
I must not be distracted by Cotabato.