Hysteria continues because of the bombings, kidnappings and now the Pandacan battle of the NPA’s [New People’s Army] with the Manila police—2 dead.
Finished working with the governors, city mayors and municipal mayors on their requests at 9:00 after starting at 4:00 PM.
Included conference on Cagayan Valley, Mt. Province specially Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Cam. [Camarines] Sur, Zamboanga del Sur with Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile and Gen. [Fidel] Ramos on the unification of command between Task Force Saranay and Task Force Palanan.
All the mayors of Isabela have promised to cooperate against the subversives and insurgents openly, but they want arms and more soldiers.
Exercised with light barbells (40 pds.), jogged and showered.
This morning I devoted to the National Security Council meeting from 9:45 AM to 1:00 PM.
Official Gazette for September 12, 1972: THE PRESIDENT presided over a meeting of the National Security Council at Camp Aguinaldo, in the course of which he ordered the military to make continuing assessment of communist activities in order to be prepared for any action that is necessary to uphold the law and protect the lives and property of the citizenry.
During the three-hour meeting, the military asked for the coordination and cooperation of all elements of society.
The President told the press in an interview, following the NSC meeting, that “it is baseless and ridiculous to blame the government for the series of bombing incidents in the Greater Manila area because when he suspended the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus last year, he was sustained by the Supreme Court, and there was no need for him to prepare the minds of the people for the proclamation of martial law by instigating such bombings.”
Present at the meeting were Vice President Fernando Lopez, Speaker Cornelio T. Villareal, Senate President Protempore Jose J. Roy, Senate Majority Floorleader Arturo Tolentino, Minority Floorleader Gerardo Roxas, House Majority Floorleader Marcelino Veloso, Reps. Nicanor Y. Yñiguez and Constantino Navarro;
Secretaries Vicente Abad Santos of Justice, Carlos P. Romulo of Foreign Affairs; Juan Ponce Enrile of National Defense, Arturo Tanco of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Press Secretary Francisco S. Tatad, Defense Undersecretary Jose Crisol, Finance Undersecretary Pedro Almanzor; Director Jolly Bugarin of the National Bureau of Investigation; Ismael Lapuz, chief of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency; the chiefs of commands headed by General Romeo Espino and Maj. Gen. Rafael Ileto, AFP chief of staff and vice-chief of staff, respectively;
Mayors Ramon Bagatsing of Manila and Pablo Cuneta of Pasay City; Quezon City chief of police Tomas Karingal; Pedro Reyes representing Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez; Mayors Emiliano Caruncho of Pasig, Renato Lopez of Mandaluyong, Osmundo de Guzan of Marikina, Felipe del Rosario of Navotas, and Monico Tanyag of Taguig; Vice Mayor Johnny Wilson of Makati, and Chiefs of Police Gerry Tamayo of Manila, Ruperto Akle of Makati and Filoteo Quintana of Pateros, Rizal.
The President had a short rest in the afternoon, and then worked on official papers till early evening.
I asked a written presentation of the expansion, increase in manpower, financial and logistics capability, plans, training, organization of the Communists and Maoists. I asked the quotation of the Tarinsing, Cordon, Isabela claimant which is the communist program of expansion and terrorism and urban guerrilla operations for 1972. I attach copy.