1:15 AM May 22nd
Water-skiing the whole morning at Talaga Day. Knocked off at 12:00 AM. Back to the boat for lunch after showers. Then cruise up to Bagac Bay.
Passed through or by the famous battle areas of the points, Quiniawan Pt. and Saysayin Pt. And saw some logs stocked at the latter just south of Bagac.
Turned around at 3:00 PM. Docked at 6:00 PM. Mass and dinner. Read the Japanese Dilemma of Jon K. Emmerson with footnote by Edwin O. Reischauer. Too sanguine and a little naive for a scholar. It believes the Japanese will not be forced to rearm so as to threaten other countries. Nor to develop nuclear weapons. She probably is doing both now.
Granted a 30-day reprieve for the men doomed to die at the electric chair Tuesday because: 1. The rape committed was not premeditated. It arose as an incident of the robbery 2. Their good conduct in prison 3. It was their first crime.
Ordered the police and military authorities to report to me tomorrow on the violence in the demonstration yesterday.
At about 10:00 AM I issued instructions to Larry Cruz on the [Eduardo] Quintero case. Later after lunch I verified the media reports and farther directed how the press office should handle the libel committed by Taliba and Mirror. I still think a libel case should be filed but we will try the Code of Ethics through the Philippine Press Council first.
Official Gazette for May 21, 1972: THE President concentrated on official papers and other state matters.
Among other actions, he granted a 30-day reprieve to three convicts who were scheduled to be electrocuted Wednesday, May 24, at the National Penitentiary in Muntinglupa, Rizal.
In granting the reprieve, the President said he wanted more time to study the recommendations of the Board of Pardons and Parole for the commutation of their sentence to life imprisonment.