The active board of directors of the First National City Bank is here to hold its meetings.
The chairman said our country accolade when he said that seldom is there a country that has succeeded in increasing its exports by 25% in three years!
Met all the mayors of Pampanga with Gov. [Francisco] Nepomuceno, Tarlac leaders led by Cong. Danding [Eduardo] Cojuangco [Jr.] and political leaders from all over the country. The principal request is funds for the campaign as I have resolutely insisted upon the compliance with the limitations of the law.
Met with Lupiño Lazaro to convince him not to agree to the Chino [Joaquin] Roces, Diokno, Ozaeta demands for a strike of Pasang Masda [Pangkalahatang Samahan ng Maynila at Suburbs Drivers Associations]. I did.
I have also asked him to use his organization to infiltrate and penetrate the NPA [New People’s Army], CCP [sic] [Communist Party of the Philippines] and front organizations. He agreed.
Met delegates of the ConCon [Constitutional Convention] adjourned up to Nov. 10th so they can campaign.
1:15 AM October 29, 1971[1]
Friday
Dinner for the Chairman of the First National City Bank, Walter Wriston and the President, William Spencer after I decorated the former with the Award of the Golden Heart.
Then I filmed a ten-minute speech for the Pangasinan rally tomorrow to be shown by audio-visual. This will be a technique I will use more often.
The Lopezes have come out openly for the Liberals and are allegedly spending millions in this campaign. Knowing their parsimony, I do not believe it.
I attended to politicians asking for funds all morning and afternoon up to 4:00Imelda has come down with a cold.
11:45 PM October 30, 1971[2]
Saturday
Gave another P300,000 to Rizal through Frisco San Juan and Bibit Duavit; another P300,000 to Iloilo through Joe [Jose] Aldeguer, Gloria Tabiana, Mariano Peñaflorida and Nene Caram the latter receiving P100,000 of it for Iloilo City; P226,000 to [Mohammad] Ali Dimaporo for the two Lanao’s; Caloocan—
So the expenditures mount.
But settled the Lanao del Norte problem by first calling all the leaders together with the military, having them confront each other with their mutual grievances (the Muslims believe that Lt. Duran of the PC [Philippine Constabulary] with civilians and soldiers massacred innocent Muslims in Magsaysay while the PC believes the first cousin of Ali Dimaporo led the later attack on Magsaysay AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] detachment and the ambush of the reinforcements resulting in 3 officers and 14 EM KIA [killed in action]; as clarified the PC led by Lt. Duran were rooting out some Christians who had attacked the Muslims in Magsaysay and the PC killed two captured two more with guns whom they had in the stockade ready for interrogation and Ali Dimaporo and his men were ready to join the AFP in fighting the outlaws).
So we organized a liaison group of civilians to guide the troops to the outlaw lairs with a reward of P5,000 at least for each outlaw leader and at least P2,000 for each outlaw member and at least P200 for each firearm captured.
Gen. Marinta Lao is to help out with Ali Dimaporo and Vice Gov. [Malamit] Umpa to coordinate the liaison.
I released P100,000 for the Muslim evacuees of Lanao del Norte now in Lanao del Sur.
Withdrew all troops from Lanao del Sur except regular PC units with the local governments assuming responsibility for peace and order.
Ordered the Sec. of National Defense with the Comelec [Commission on Elections] to determine the advisability of postponing the elections as recommended by Cong. Ali Dimaporo.
I met the Nueva Vizcaya Capitanes del barrio, mayors, vice mayors, councilors and leaders on the visit of the Sen. Leonardo Perez group (all mayors except that of Diadi) to discard the agreement to have Gov. [Patricio] Dumlao [Sr.] as a common candidate since he was not supporting the mayors but had put up his own candidates against them.
They agreed on a fair fight with all of them supporting the Nacionalista senatorial line-up.
Then met Amb. [Henry] Byroade at 8:30 PM who told me the Senate led by Maj. Floor Leader [Michael] Mansfield had rejected all foreign aid in toto. And that we are getting three LSTs [Landing Ship, Tank], five helicopters before the year, but no transport planes.
12:00 PM October 31, 1971[3]
Sunday
Noche and [Fidel] Ramos report that their agents inside the NPA [New People’s Army] report that Gen. [Manuel] Yan sent some guns and radio equipment to [Benigno] Ninoy Aquino [Jr.] for the NPA on the second week of September. Through Dr. Geronimo of Tarlac, Tarlac we contacted Commander Dante [Bernabe Buscayno] in 1969.
Fantastic and unbelievable but I have ordered a confirmation.
After the elections I will have to retire Gen. [Manuel] Yan and Gen. [Felizardo] Tanabe!
I met the Liberal candidate for mayor, Ex-Vice Mayor Yaranon of Baguio City and worked out on agreement for him to support Nacionalista senatorial candidates. This kind of political ambivalence is prevalent among the Liberals.
I have decided to give the signal to the loyal supporters of my administration in the Cons. Con. [Constitutional Convention] to support a parliamentary form of government in the constitution, provided that it has stability and practically the same powers as the presidency.
And we are beginning to finalize a constitution that should be acceptable to all with one major political reform the parliamentary form of government, one major social and economic reform.
Then we should be able to submit this to a plebiscite in 1972 to make the constitution effective in 1973.
[1] Official Gazette for October 29, 1971: P resident Marcos had a crowded morning schedule, topped by conferences with officials on certain projects of the government, and with political leaders on the November 8 elections. The President started the day with a meeting with SSS Administrator Gilberto Teodoro and GSIS Chairman-General Manager Roman Cruz, Jr. on the government ’ s housing projects. T his was followed by private conferences with Senator Jose J. Roy, acting Nacionalista Party president, and Sen. Arturo Tolentino; and later with NP senatorial candidates Ernesto Maceda, Blas F. Ople, Alejandro Almendras, Tito Primicias and Leonila Garcia. Also received by the President were Reps. Fermin Caram of Iloilo Constantino Navarro of Surigao del Norte, Lamberto Macias and Jose Pro. Teves of Negros Oriental, who discussed local problems with him. The President finished receiving callers at past 2 p.m. After a belated lunch, the President took a brief rest and then attended to paper work the rest of the afternoon. He directed Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr. to issue a proclamation declaring November 1 a special public holiday, and a memorandum order creating a committee to take charge of the reception, as well as the funeral arrangements and interment of the late Col. Jesus Villamor hero of World War II. The President declared November 1 a special public holiday to give the people full opportunity to observe All Saints ’ Day with the proper religious spirit.In his order creating the committee to handle funeral arrangements and interment of Col. Villamor, the President noted that the hero “ demonstrated the highest tradition of Filipino valor and patriotism when he single-handedly opposed the Japanese “ zeros ” at the outbreak of the Pacific War in 1941. ” The President said it is fitting that a proper reception be given his remains and funeral arrangements be accorded Col. Villamor, “ in grateful recognition of his indomitable courage and willingness to offer his life that all of us may live in peace and freedom. ” The President named Brig. Gen. Jesus Z. Singson, PAF commanding general, as chairman of the committee, with CAA Director Epifanio Raymundo as vice chairman, and the following as members: Col. Agustin Marking; a representative of the US Armed Forces; Judge Florencio Villamor, representing the hero ’ s family; and Col. Miguel Villamor of the AFP. In the evening, the President and the First Lady, Imelda R. Marcos, tendered a dinner at the Maharlika Hall in honor of the visiting directors and trustees of the First National City Bank of New York, during which he conferred the Golden Heart Presidential Award on FNCB chairman Walter B, Wriston. Wriston was cited for his outstanding services to the country through the “ determined application of the progressive policies which have made the institution he heads not only an international company but a real and productive part of the development of nations. ” Present at the conferment ceremony, held at the Maharlika Hall, were FNCB officials, heads of government financing institutions, representatives of the Bankers Association of the Philippines and the Senate a nd House committees on banking.
[2] Official Gazette for October 30, 1971: P resident Marcos held a confrontation meeting with military top brass and civic authorities of Lanao del Norte arid Lanao del Sur and convinced them that the only way to end violence in the two provinces was by cooperating with one another. With the approval of other top officials, and civic and religious leaders from the two provinces, the President forged an agreement for the solution of the peace and order problem obtaining there. The President warned that should the formula fail, it was “ my intention to organize a special unit to operate in Lanao del Norte immediately after the elections, with the active participation of Muslims, especially in local governments. ” After the two-and-a-half hour conference, during which both sides expressed mutual recriminations and blamed each other for the outbreak of violence, the President ordered: 1. The establishment of a liaison group to clarify any misunderstanding between the two groups for the apprehension and arrest of all outlaws, whether Muslims or Christians. 2. The assignment of Muslim officers in joint commands with Christian officers in the PC command in Lanao del Norte. 3. The withdrawal of any troops not belonging to the regular PC unit from the province of Lanao del Sur. 4. The release of ₱100,000 for the relief and assistance to be extended to evacuees from Lanao del Norte and had gone to Lanao del Sur. 5. The study of the need to postpone elections in Lanao del Norte where it was reported that there are many ghost towns. The President also announced that he was offering rewards for the capture, or for information leading to the capture of leaders or members of outlaw bands, or of the surrender of firearms: He asked Rep. Ali Dimaporo, Brig. Gen. Mamarinta Lao ret. and Vice Gov. Malamit Umpa to meet immediately with Undersecretary of National Defense Efren I. Plana, Gen. Manuel T. Yan, AFP chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Rafael Ileto, PA commander, to work out a joint operations plan. This joint operations plan would be carried out jointly by the military and the Muslim communities against all outlaws, with the Ilagas as priority targets as well as Muslim outlaws. Among those present at the conference which ended at 2:30 p.m. were Senators Mamintal Tamano and Leonardo B. Perez, who is chairman of the Senate committee on national defense; Undersecretary Plana; Gen. Yan, Maj. Gen. Romeo Espino, vice chief of staff; Gen. Ileto, Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan, Cols. L. T. Penares, G. A. Pecache, C. C. Campos and I. de los Reyes; Lt. Col. M. B. Bangcola; Rep. Dimaporo, Vice Gov. Umpa, Gov. Mandangan Dimakuta, former Gov. Madki Alonto, former Rep: Amir Mindalano, Gen. Lao, Datu Asis Mindalano and Rev. Robert McKinnie of Lanao del Sur. Earlier in the morning, the President received some callers, most of whom were mayors and barrio captains who discussed local matters with him. The President devoted the rest of the day to other urgent m atters of state and paper work.
[3] Official Gazette for October 31, 1971: W ith no scheduled callers to attend to President Marcos had; all the time for important desk work in the morning and afternoon. The President started working on official papers at mid-morning, knocking off at 12:45 p.m. for lunch and rest. He resumed his paper work at about 3 p.m., in the course of which he signed, among others, the designation of Vicente P. Rodriguez, project director of the Bureau of the Treasury, as acting national treasurer. Rodriguez succeeded Ubaldo Carbonell, who died on Octob er 28 following a heart attack.