We (Imelda and I) attended the President’s Night at MOPC [Manila Overseas Press Club],.My speech and papers for the Open Forum are in Envelope No. XI-P.
Worked with Gens. [Manuel] Yan, [Romeo] Espino, [Eduardo] Garcia, [Mariano] Ordoñez, [Fidel] Ramos and [Fabian] Ver on the Metrocom [Metropolitan Command] training (at Magsaysay), the recovery of all personnel (some of the men are on secret missions, specially those at the Replacement Battalion of PC [Philippine Constabulary]—allegedly, although I know that they are assigned to politicians) and the retirement of all extended officers.
I notified Gen. Espino he would become Chief of Staff, Ramos to become Chief of PC, [Tomas] Diaz, 1st Zone Commander, [Rafael] Ileto to become Vice Chief of Staff, [Rafael] Zagala to become Army Commander.
Then directed Manila to be completely left by Metrocom to the MPD [Manila Police District] and a plan for operations in case of urban guerilla fighting in Manila with MPD off the streets as they may not know street fighting and merely get on [sic] the way and suffer as the federal troops called to duty in the Kuala Lumpur Martial Law racial riots.
The plan should be prepared by Gens. Garcia, Ordoñez, Ileto, Ver and Espino.
Pasig Task Force will now take over the security assignments of Metrocom in Manila.
Saw the Muhamad Ali-Buster [Mathis] fight over TV.
This morning we received news that Prime Minister Thanom Kitticachorn of Thailand has taken over the government of that country in a bloodless coup by his declaring martial law, suspending the constitution and abolishing the Parliament and the cabinet.
No Official Gazette entry for this day.