I have condemned the first 14 books with the typographical errors on pp. 16 and 17. They shall be embargoed and kept as my mementoes of our first book in the palace.
Although today we discovered some miss-spelling [sic]: on p. 57 Bonifacio is missspelled [sic] Bonifiacio and in p. 104 harassment is spelled with a double “r.”
We will place these in the page on “errata.”
Official Gazette for September 7, 1971: President Marcos had a tight schedule which included a meeting with public works engineers, a conference with constabulary top brass, and meetings with a number of callers, led by UN Adviser Torsten Eriksson.
Among the President’s activities today were: Courtesy call: Torsten Eriksson, inter-regional adviser, UN Social Defense Research Institute, who was accompanied by Secretary of Social Welfare Estefania Aldaba-Lim. Eriksson has been in the Philippines for a week looking into the penal system and conducting seminars on penology. Induction of officers:
a) Officers of the Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, led by Miguel Arambulo, Jr., president; Justiano Montano, Jr., Wigberto Clavecilla, Eduardo Echauz, Ricardo Nicolas, Eduardo Escobar, Jr., and Ramon Pedrosa, vice presidents; Benito F. Madalla, secretary-treasurer; R. de la Cuesta, assistant secretary-treasurer; Directors Teodoro Kalaw, Jr., Esteban Cabanos, Gabriel Ambrosio, Cristino Concepcion, Buenaventura Loberiza, Jose R. L. Orosa, Francisco J. Nicolas, Benjamin Guingona.
b) Officers of-the Radio-TV Federation of the Philippines led by P. Talastas, president, and Juan Basa, vice president.
c) Officers of the Reserve Officers Legion of the Philippines: Lt. Col. Antonio M. Mendoza, president; Lt. Col. Henry M. Cuyong, executive vice president; 1st Lt. Juan P. Bañaga, national secretary; Col. Vicente Malapitan, treasurer; Lt. Col. Efigenio Bautista, Capt. Felix C. Codilla and Maj. Godofredo L. Kaamiño, vice presidents; and the following directors—Capt. Juan Cesar D. Adapon, Maj. Felimon L. Claudio, Lt. Col. Alfredo P. Quiazon, Capt. Carlos B. Beñegas, Maj. Sabas Edades, Lt. (SG.) Arturo T. Velasco and 1st Lt. Ernesto de las Armas.
The President then received the members of the District and City Engineers League, who called in connection with the group’s annual convention. The President exhorted the engineers to maintain their professionalism and discipline during the elections and keep away from partisan activities. He also called on the group to carry on the program of development as mapped out by the administration. As new problems come up, he said, it would be remembered that old program exists and remains valid, particularly in the infrastructure program.
“We have a program,” the President said, “which is correct and true, and historically appreciated, and therefore we must continue with it.” This program, he said, must be carried on even after he ceases to be President, adding that despite controversy and criticism, the program is basic to the development of the nation.
Later in the morning, the President conferred with Brig. (Jens. Eduardo M. Garcia and Domingo Tutaan, PC chief and 4th PC Zone commander, respectively, who reported on the peace and order condition in Davao del Norte, and on the conference with local officials and civic and religious leaders in the town of Baroy. A big delegation of provincial, city and municipal officials of Agusan del Norte and Butuan City also called on the President to express their endorsement of his suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus.
“In these times when lawless elements are poised to overthrow the duly constituted authority, it is the wisest course of action to effectively arrest their evil activities for the security of the country arid the people,” the Agusan and Butuan local officials said in a joint letter they presented to the President.
Among the signatories to the joint letter were Mayor Silvestre M. Osin of Butuan City, Board Member Vicente C. Rosales of Agusan del Norte, and Mayors Felixberto C. Dagani of Cabadbaran, Alex C. Luison of Kitcharao, Cayetano E. Amoroso of Buenavista, David Q. Sandalo of Tubay, and Eufronio V. Rosales of Las Nieves.
The newspapers are building up the stories of opposition to the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus and the supposed casualties of the Moslem armed bands (one newspaper refers to them as Barracudas). The Herald says 20 casualties and the Manila Times says 40 dead, obviously with the purpose of pulling the administration and the Constabulary in disrepute.
The suspension has taught us some very clear lessons. One of them is that the greater weapon of subversion now is apparently the media.
The media terrorizes the people and the public officials into inaction against communism. The line is that the curtailment of any forms of activity no matter how extreme or violent is reactionary and violative of the tradition of liberty.
Many of our people are beginning to stop from acting to combat communism because of the adverse reaction of the media.
We are now convinced that the communists are deliberately dumping drugs in the Philippines to corrupt our young.
And the agit-prop activities of the radicals continue.
But we have to await the decision of the Supreme Court.
Although I am reminded of France before the start of the Second World War when the political leadership was paral[y]zed by the media and by demonstrations from protecting the French Republic.
I had to explain with the Dacel or the District and City Engineers League as the forum that the President does not depend on the military alone for intelligence but that I have my own intelligence network which is funded by the Security and Intelligence Fund which is at my disposal. This was done even in relation to the Plaza Miranda bombing. And my intelligence net confirmed that the crime was planned by the NPA [New People’s Army] but not executed by NPA men although the NPA could have been in the rally as security.
These explanations were necessary as the columnists and commentators keep repenting that the military has foisted a big fraud on me with intelligence reports of the communist conspiracy.
With the agreement of Major Ticao and Rep. [Fermin] Caram [Jr.] I have placed the Iloilo Police under the supervision of Lt. Col. Narcise the PC [Philippine Constabulary] Provincial Commander of the province of Iloilo. The nephew of Ex-Sen. [Rodolfo] Ganzon (and a Muntinglupa escapee) the latter’s son in-law are allegedly gunning for Rep. Caram.
Since Sept. 9th is the last day for filing the certificates of candidacy, we are busy settling the conflicts. Ilocos Norte, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Leyte.
I have to call all the mayors and NP [Nacionalista] municipal Chairman tomorrow because Gov. Isidro Rodrigo [sic] [Rodriguez] has arranged it so that the Liberals do not put up an opponent against him but we give away the Vice Governor and two board members. The mayors are left to fend for themselves.