12:45 AM
March 2, 1972
Imelda is going to Moscow, Spain and London.
London to visit the children. We have some problems with Imee who insists on an acting career apparently. Her mother has a dim view of her insistence to accept the offer of the lead role in “The Diary of Anne Frank” to be presented by Repertoire [Repertory] Philippines at the Cultural Center.
Then she attends the wedding of Alfonso de Bourbon to Carmencita Franco Villaverde, the grand-daughter of Generalissimo Franco of Spain.
After which she accepts the invitation of the Russian government to visit Moscow and see the Bolshoi Ballet.
Actually this will mean the beginning of the dialogue for diplomatic relations with
Russia. It will be (the visit of lmelda) another diplomatic coup.
Have been looking into the possible purchase of a twin-engine Bell 212 helicopter.
I place the papers in Envelope XVI-D.
The Conde de Bustillos, his wife and a Mexican lady who was actually operated on by [Antonio] Agpaoa with his bare hands thirteen times (in the right eye, behind the left ear and in the diaphragm, etc.) swear that they have seen this “miracle” with their own eyes. And many foreigners now go to Baguio to witness this phenomenon.
And they believe in it.
We must look into this deeper.
Official Gazette for March 1, 1972: FREE from his usual schedule of callers, the President had sufficient time to study a pile of pending state papers.
He reconstituted the membership of the Coconut Coordinating Council, and directed the council to assume responsibility for the supervision coordination and evaluation in the implementation of the coconut self-sufficiency program of the government.
In another action, the President issued an administrative order creating the Philippine Technical Panel that will negotiate with its counterpart from: the United -States government for the implementation of the 1972 PL-480 Package Agreement.
The PL-480 Package Agreement for the Philippines consisting of tobacco, cotton and corn has been recently approved by the United States government.
Worked on the problems of investment, the Free Trade Zone, highways, Mindanao development, organization of cooperatives etc.
I asked the Board of Pardons and Parole to recommend a two month reprieve for the Aquino, Pineda, Jayme [sic] Jose gang that kidnapped and raped Maggie de la Riva and who are set to be electrocuted Mar. 17th just before Holy Week.
Japan is in the throes of rearming. I attach reports of Amb. [Roberto] Bobby Benedicto.
Jaime Jose y Gomez, Basilio Pineda, Jr. alias “Boy,” Edgardo Aquino y Payumo, and Rogelio Cañal y Sevilla were convicted for the abduction and rape of actress Maggie de la Riva in June 1967. Gomez, Pineda, and Aquino were executed by electric chair on May 17, 1972. Sevilla escaped the fate of his companions having died of a drug overdose a year earlier. Crime detailed in Supreme Court Decision G.R. No. L-28232 February 6, 1971, execution in Manila times May 18, 1972.