December 26, 1970

Saturday

We woke up at about 9:00 AM. When I had taken breakfast, I was told that we were off Dao and had passed San Jose. I ordered the ship back so we could visit San Jose.

Kokoy [Benjamin Romualdez] rounded up the government officials in his usual energetic manner. Gov. [Julian] Pacificador who is from Hamptic was not in town but we got him quickly. Some mayors, capitanes del barrio soon appeared.

And the market was jampacked with people.

I had to rush back so that we could be in Iligan at 6:00 AM tomorrow.

It is now about 4:45 PM and the ship is again beginning to pitch and roll from the swells. We are in the open sea between Palawan and Panay Island closer to Mindanao.

On the way back it will not be so “grinding” as we will pass between the islands of Negros and Cebu, thus will be protected from the prevailing northeast wind.

The people in Manila and the opposition will probably think I am seeking a 3rd term as I am visiting places seldom reached by politicians.

They cannot understand how refreshing it feels to visit the provinces after the artificial and morbid atmosphere of Manila.

10:20 PM December 27, 1970[1]

Sunday

We have just come from deck where Imelda insisted on staying as the ship started rolling, pitching and yawing in heavy seas. The children have stretched out to sleep in the deck lounging chairs finding the deck less conductive to sea-sickness.

Last night 3/4 of the crew of our escort destroyer were sea-sick and the PCF’s [Patrol Craft Fast] had to go back as the waves were 50 feet high.

I seem to be a better sailor than most—today anyway.

We docked at the IISMI [Iligan Integrated Steel Mills Inc.] pier at Iligan at about 6:00 AM. I woke up suddenly at 6:20 AM when we were no longer moving, washed up, dressed, ate my bowl of corn flakes with honey and milk and was ready to go at 7:00 AM. Cong. [Mohammad] Ali Dimaporo was waiting for me. I was at the Baloi Airport at 7:30 AM. Reached the Cotabato Airfield at 7:50 AM.

I asked a briefing by the officers of the PC [Philippine Constabulary], USec. [Arturo] Tanco [Jr.], Dirs. [Jose] Viado and [Vicente] Valdellon, Gov. [Simeon] Datumanong and Com. Raoul Veloso just before the open forum and my decisions.

Set aside about 5,000 hectares for settlements—some for Tirurays, some for Muslims and others for Christians.

Ordered about 50 detachments to be set up in the areas of conflict (about 300 soldiers).

Directed Capt. Tronco and Col. Zarrosa to be taken out of Cotabato.

Ordered [Feliciano] Luces alias Toothpick to be brought to see me in Manila.

Ordered all loose firearms to be confiscated whether held by men in uniform or civilians—but gave a previous registration or surrender period.

Released funds to the various municipalities for roads and other projects.

Was back at Baloi Airport at 11:00 AM. We reached Marawi overland at 11:45 AM. The program lasted up to 2:00 PM.

Listened to Sec. Mahamed Ta Omeida.

Spoke of unity.

Pledged P100,000 of my private funds for an Islamic Center. I intend to push this through. There is already $100,000 from Pakistan.

I can allocate two hectares in Camp Bonifacio.

Then cooperatives for fishing and farming to be financed by the Libyan President with $2 million or more.

9:00 PM December 28, 1970[2]

Monday

We are at the lounging room of the ship after a light dinner. We have passed Buqui Pt. the northernmost point of Masbate and are south of Ticao and Burias proceeding northwest towards the south of Marinduque straight for the Batangas coast. Light seas, the ship slightly rolling. We expect to reach Manila by 10:00 o’clock in the morning tomorrow after a 17 hour trip. The trip from Iligan took about 20 hours.

We docked at Masbate, Masbate at 2:00 PM and were enthusiastically received by a crowd that carried placards reading “Imelda for President”—a thought which I have been trying very hard to discourage.

Held a conference of the mayors, capitanes del barrio and other local officials at the provincial capitol where Governor Moises Espinosa prodded by Congressman Emilio Espinosa announced that Masbate was a hundred percent behind Imelda if I allowed her to run.

Discovered that the P970,000 I released for the roads of Masbate has been misspent by the former district engineer and the national highway specially to Plaridel is now impassable even by six-by-six trucks. I suspect that the congressman and the governor may have known the defalcation.

I have ordered the prosecution and jailing of the district engineer, auditor and other officials who were a party to the crime.

But I released P200,000 for the road, P200,000 for the pier, funds for the repair of the airport and the return 50% of the Tommy guns lent to the municipal police but taken back because of the abuse in some areas (105 lent and 98 recovered) so that cattle-rustling which has increased may be stopped.

I explained the reason for the increase of the tariff duty on crude oil. Sen. [Jose] Diokno is quoted in some papers as opposing the increase as made without consulting the Congress. Which of course is a brazen lie because the increase was recommended after a bipartisan conference in Malacañan of the bi-partisan leaders of Congress immediately after Typhoon Yoling.

And the power of the president is precisely granted by the Tariff and Customs Code for the president to exercise when Congress is not in session and is not consulted.

The damage caused by the two typhoons, Sening and Yoling is estimated at P200 million while the calamity fund granted the appropriations act is only P13 million, P4 million of which has been spent on the three typhoons before these.

So we have to raise more funds for the general fund which can be spent for calamities.

The estimated increase of funds from the tariff increases is P60 million. This will go to the program of recovery and rehabilitation from the natural calamities.

We distributed the provincial and municipal credit advices from the excess income and the special highway fund.

But much as I distributed, Imelda still stole the show when she started distributing her packages of Maligayang Pasko. The mayors and leaders were told that the packages had to be given to the poorest and the most needful in their community.

And when we reached the ship and she lined up the small ill-kempt and ill-nourished children, and handed them bags of Christmas goodies, she really was beloved by the crowd. I could see it in their eyes.

10:40 PM December 29, 1970[3]

Mansion, Baguio

A 1st Lt. Victor Corpus, a PMA [Philippine Military Academy] graduate but a leftist who had been under the influence of [Dante C.] Simbulan (another PMA graduate but a Red) at 1725 hrs. while incoming as officer of the day at PMA hogtied the armorer and two guards and with the aid of about ten men riding in two Mustangs, one green and the other cream colored, forcibly opened the armory and ammo dump and ran away with six .30 cal. aircooled machine guns, 20 MI carbines, 20 BAR’s (possibly more) and nine boxes of ammo of 800 rds. each. He left a letter of resignation from the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] addressed to me to join the NPA [New People’s Army] as he claims he can no longer be a tool of exploitation by the feudal lords and greedy capitalists.

Checkpoints and roadblocks have been set up by 1st PC [Philippine Constabulary] Zone. All efforts are being exerted to apprehend him and his accomplices.

My suspicion is that these are men of Chavit [Luis] Singson who are suspected to have joined Dante’s [Bernabe Buscayno] NPA through Jose Maria Sison. They may be the same men who killed Cong. Floro Crisologo.

Arrived by boat at Pier 5 Manila at about 8:30 AM passed through Malacañang to receive reports from the Executive Secretary, [Juan] Johnny Ponce Enrile, [Francisco] Kits Tatad and others.

Left by plane at about 10:40 AM for San Fernando where I held a conference after lunch with Gens. [Felizardo] Tanabe, [Rafael] Zagala, [Cesar] Jazmin, Cols. Tom Diaz and Clemente. Col. ______, new Prov. [Provincial] Commander of Ilocos Sur arrived later.

I directed the replacement of all the officers and men of the La Union PC command. Some of the enlisted men here have been stationed here in San Fernando for twenty years. The officers and men have begun to fraternize with the crooked elements in this province.

Gen. Zagala’s transport is only 60% efficient while that of Gen. Tanabe is 40% and this is true of the PC everywhere. So I ordered improvement. Communications from company hq. to detachments still bad or non-existent in PC. Old equipment in Army stalls communications. I ordered improvement.

I attach my orders.

Held a meeting with the La Union provincial and municipal officials and barrio captains where we distributed advices, checks and credit cards.

Imelda’s distribution of Maligayang Pasko gifts and medical kits was happily applauded. Even before that you could see the adoration for her in the eyes of many people.

10:00 PM December 30, 1970[4]

Wednesday

The critical question of a bold and strong leadership to meet the threat of anarchy and a daring attempt to create a revolutionary situation has come up again. This was triggered by the bold raid by Lt. [Victor] Corpus of the PMA [Philippine Military Academy] armory and ammo dump.

The intelligence reports indicate a massive demonstration on the 26th or 30th of January 1971 with a dry run on the 17th and an increasing tempo of militancy by the radical groups up to June when there would be riots just before or during the sessions of the constitutional convention.

Gov. Carmeling Crisologo reports the existence of sanctuary or training areas in Ilocos Sur—Alilem, Cabugao, etc.

Organization is going on in Isabela. Manila is in ferment in the student and labor elements.

It is now believed that the killing of Cong. [Floro] Crisologo was an NPA [New People’s Army] project directed by Sen. Benigno Aquino whose ties to the Mao-Mao’s is a public secret which he does not deny but brags about.

I have ordered that the 1st PC [Philippine Constabulary] Zone and Intelligence slowly leak out the fact that the Corpus raid of PMA is an intelligence project and that Corpus is a penetration agent.

But all the radicals are reported preparing determinedly for my assassination and that of my loyal followers.

The Corpus operations in PMA denotes the boldness and determination of this group of subversives. This is the significance of the Corpus raid. It could lead to farther operations of the same sort.

And the Armed Forces has to be screened well now. Commodore [Remo] Lavadia of the [National Defense College] is another vocal critic of the administration and of democracy. I have ordered him relieved and his deputy, a civilian [Jose G.] Syjuico, to take his place.

This reminds me of the guerilla days when our closest relatives and friends anxious for our survival warned against risking extermination by going to the hills. But somebody had to do it. And since nobody else would stick out his neck, we had to do it and do it without much heroics. The ultimate test of what was right was what was best for the country. Some guerillas became power-mad. This was a warning to many of us.

And I must remember this always.

Undoubtedly our society is sick and the government muddles on compromises. The legislature wants to arrogate executive and even judicial powers to itself (foreign policy and tariff duties)—arrogant and vain. The city people are more interested in gossip than in achievements. The media is sensationalist and deliberately distorts and even falsifies news in order to raise a headline. The businessmen are not interested in the plight of the common people but are obsessed with amassing wealth. The oligarchs are at their favorite pastime to get to the levers of power. The opposition party is irresponsible and didn’t care less whether what they do would prejudice the people provided it enhances their chances to return to power.

All our attempts to progress are deliberately blocked.

Even the radicals seek nothing but power for power’s sake.

2:30 AM December 31, 1970[5][6]

Actually written Thursday

on the new year 1971

I am reviewing the contingency plan for the proclamation of martial law if the occasion demands it. This is OPLAN Bukang Liwayway.

As we were gathered to await the new year, I was a little sad that I and all these otherwise intelligent people wasted our precious time on empty ceremony.

I wondered whether the year 1971 would usher in an authoritarian government in the Philippines.

During the mass, I prayed God for strength, wisdom and guidance. For I knew I would have to make awesome decisions this year.