I am convinced that the communists will try and take the government before 1973.
Chino [Joaquin] Roces also confirmed this in a conversation with the other publishers yesterday morning. This was reported by Hans Menzi last night.
Hans Menzi also reports that this group of publishers will not participate in the meetings of the Foreign Policy Council and other councils I will invite them to.
And they recommend that I do not reappoint any of the losing senatorial candidates back to the cabinet.
They even sent word that Imelda and I should issue statements to the effect that we do not intend to run for Presidency in 1973. I pointedly told him that I would not allow the office of the presidency to be degraded by my repetition childishly of what I have stated and reiterated in the past several weeks.
Hans Menzi has agreed that a group I shall organize shall buy control of the Liwayway Publications.
Today I received a report that yesterday Sen. Gerardo Roxas, Eugenio Lopez Sr. and Jr., Vice Pres. [Fernando] Lopez, Chino Roces at the Meralco [Manila Electric Company] penthouse. The Lopezes gave the impression that they would support Roxas for President in 1973, congratulating him for his good work in the last elections and hoping he will bring about victory again in 1973.
Chino Roces claimed that the Plaza Miranda bombing was a communist job and claimed that Roxas would have the same problems I have if he were elected President in 1973.
Chino Roces being close to the communists is certainly a dependable source of information when not talking through his newspaper.
He told Hans Menzi that he was unwilling to give me any information.
We should prepare for any increase in urban guerilla activity in January.
Nene Caram who signed tonight for Filipino Orient Airways the merger of operations agreement with Air Manila represented by Ricardo Salverio told me that the Lopezes spent P18 million for the Liberals in the last elections.
No Official Gazette entry for this day.
Met all the political leaders for lunch at [Bahay] Pangarap, “to congratulate the victorious and succor the defeated.”
Also met Justice Fred Ruiz Castro at 9:00 PM with Sen. [Jose] Roy and Sol. Gen. Felix Antonio on whom I can lift the suspension of the privilege of the writ which I want to do as soon as I can but cannot until the warrants of arrest have been issued by the CFI [Court of First Instance] (in this case the judge is Vicente Ericta who has set the hearing for Dec. 6th). So Sol. Gen. Felix will see him tomorrow. He will also see City Fiscal Cortez to hurry up the hearings of the cases pending with him.