Ex-Pres. Carlos P. Garcia died of a heart attack at 6:00 o’clock [sic] this morning. He was suffering from a high fever but had worked during the day, signed some vouchers for the Cons. Con. [Constitutional Convention] at 4:00 PM. His doctors were with him up to 5:00 PM. They left and were not with him when he suffered a chest compression and difficulty in breathing. Oxygen was no help. He expired in 15 minutes.
The news came as a shock while I was at the 9th hole of the golf course at [Bahay] Pangarap.
Today is also Bessang Pass day—the 26th anniversary of the fall of the gateway to the stronghold of Gen. Tomayuki Yamashita, the Japanese Commanding General of Japanese forces in the Philippines who surrendered at Kiangan in August.
Wreath-laying at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, then breakfast at Nichols Air base auditorium with Gen. [Jesus] Singson, chief of Air Force as host.
I told the audience of veterans from the various guerrilla groups that came (Marking of the Marking’s Guerrillas, Alejo Santos of the Bulacan Military Area, Bacho of the United Disabled Veterans, Atilano Sinco of the Leyte-Samar Guerrillas, Capt. Evangelista of the Navy Veterans, the Mindanao Guerrillas etc. with Pepang Capistrano, the Gold Star Mothers and Widows etc.) that we will be patient against insult, libel and efforts to demean and degrade our person but that when the communists desecrate and degrade the Filipino flag, they shall meet with the anger and righteous indignation of the Filipino people. “For we are ready to die once again for the Filipino flag.”
I outlined the new sophisticated weapons of subversion as compared to the 1950 communist rebellion: the media through libelous attacks intended to undermine the faith of the people in their public officials; debauchery of the currency; obstruction to the economic development; pornography; drugs like heroin and marijuana; strikes and demands for increases in pay to curtail production and increase cost; discouragement of investment; weakening the Armed Forces.
No Official Gazette entry for this day.