Finally approved the increased price and tax on oil products.
Again met with all the justices of the Supreme Court including the new appointees, Justices [Estanislao] Fernandez, Cecila Muñoz Palma and Ramon Aquino.
Briefed them on the situation, security wise and economy wise. Told them frankly we were not in control in Sulu except for Jolo, Siasi, Tapul, Sanga-Sanga and where our military are, but that the areas outside the poblaciones are controlled by the rebels.
Official Gazette for October 20, 1973: THE PRESIDENT appointed Justice Querube Makalintal as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, succeeding former Chief Justice Roberto Concepcion who has retired. A graduate of the College of Law of the University of the Philippines, Class of 1933, the new Chief Justice was a private practitioner for 13 years until he entered the government service as judge of the Court of First Instance, in Iloilo. In 1954, he was named solicitor general and in the same year, was named to the Court of Appeals. He rose to become presiding justice of that body in 1961. He was appointed associate justice of the Supreme Court in 1962 and was the senior ranking associate justice at the time the former chief justice retired.
SECRETARY OF Justice Vicente Abad Santos said the new Constitution has been in effect since January 17, replacing the old Constitution. He rendered this opinion in answer to a formal request from Information Secretary Francisco S. Tatad who said that in spite of the ratification and adoption of the new charter, queries from here and abroad persist as to whether it is not in fact the old Constitution that it still in force. He stated further that the President certified and proclaimed the new Constitution in effect in Presidential Proclamation No. 1102 after an overwhelming majority of the members of the barangays in the Philippines voted in favor of the adoption of the new charter.
DEPARTMENT of Labor has issued supplementary guidelines in the implementation of the President’s order to stagger work hours in the Government as well as in private establishments. The guidelines, embodied in a circular signed by Labor Secretary Blas F. Ople, seek to relieve workers and employers of any inconveniences resulting from rigid implementation of the general order without deviating from its objectives.
NOT MORE than P500 in Philippine currency notes may be brought into the country by an incoming traveller for the duration of the demonetization period ending December 31, 1973, the Central Bank announced. This regulation is contained in Central Bank Circular No. 383 released as an amendment to CB Circular No. 265, which had earlier set the F500 limit that an incoming or outgoing traveller may bring in or out of the country. The amended circular is calculated to sterilize the reported large amounts of illegally hoarded pesos abroad, notably in Hongkong, which have contributed to the depreciation of the Philippine currency.
THE GOVERNMENT convened the country’s rice millers, traders and warehousemen in a conference to spur an effective rice procurement program under the intensified Masagana99 production drive. Agriculture Secretary Arturo R. Tanco Jr. and Grains Administrator Jesus Tanchanco spearheaded the conference at the auditorium of the Development Bank of the Philippines. During the conference, Secretary Tanco urged the rice millers, traders and warehousemen to shoulder the buying of some 131 million cavans of palay expected to be generated by Masagana 99.
CENTRAL Bank Monetary Board announced the reorganization of the Land Bank of the Philippines with the appointment of a high-ranking official as its president. Chosen LB president by the bank’s Monetary Board with the advice and consent of the President was Mr. Basilio Estanislao, a special assistant to CB Governor Gregorio S. Licaros in charge of the supervision and examination sector which has jurisdiction over all banking as well as non-bank financial institutions. The Land Bank was reorganized under Presidential Decree No. 251 to make it more of a financial institution, with development, commercial and merchant banking functions, in implementing the requirements of the land reform program.
And 66 senators of the U.S. Senate have signed a resolution supporting Israel and therefore it would be unwise to take a position in the Middle east war.
I then explained to them that as I sought unity in the ranks of the people I am seeking unity among all government officers.
Then I sought their counsel on the creation of the legislative council inasmuch as I wanted the three departments of government, the executive, judiciary and the legislative to be operational.
How long the justices will continue in office, whether up to 65 years or 70 years is a question that has arisen.
So we have agreed that the oath-taking of the Chief Justice will be on Wednesday, the three new justices on Thursday and before that a mass oath taking by all the others. After some discussion because of the implications that a new appointment places them after the doubt of the new appointees, limited in tenure to the 65 years limitation of the new Constitution inasmuch as they are now casuals under Secs. 10 and 9 of the Transitory Provisions which provide that all the members of the judiciary continue in office unless and until replaced by the President.
Even the other members of the judiciary are also casuals. We will have to look into this situation.
For that matter all Presidential appointees before the New Constitution Ratification of January 17, 1973 are in the same legal situation.
The justices seem reasonably inclined to advise me on controversial matters before they are even raised into legal justiciable issues that may reach them.
On oil, Gen. Hans Menzi, who was approached by the Delgados on the offer of Esso to sell a majority of the 57% of the Bataan Refinery ([Nisbil?] owns 43% and Bob [Ulalos?] was surprised when he was informed of this offer of Esso as they have no intention of selling although if they do they want to dispose of 100% of their holdings on production and distribution) reports that Esso is still offering to sell out.
Shell is also willing to sell out and Caltex (through Ray Johnson) is willing to ______.
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