I rendezvous with the Sulu, Basilan and Zamboanga del Sur rebel leaders to bring about their return to the fold of the law and cooperate on the pacification drive.
I also directed the finalization of the purchase of Esso’s 57% of the Bataan refinery and its whole marketing organization for $25 million.
But as yet no contract with Saudi Arabia on the 100 million barrels a year as promised by the King. So I asked Ramon del Rosario to stay. He went to London to wait and returned Saturday to Riyadh. I also directed Amb. Mabilangan who is with Sec. [Carlos] Romulo in Paris resting to return to Riyadh to help as the lower echelon officials in Saudi Arabia say they have as yet received no instructions on the contract; and Nuista Neswel who is in Jeddah setting up the Philippine Embassy, to return to Riyadh and help Monching del Rosario in the diplomatic level.
I directed Amb. Dionisio, resident ambassador to Pakistan but also accredited to Iran, to reside in Iran, and take steps to assure us of the continuous supply of crude from Iran.
I directed (all of these through Sec. [Manuel] Collantes) Amb. [Modesto] Farolan of Indonesia to proceed to Iraq and Kuwait to take steps to assure us that our supply of crude continues.
Saudi Arabia, according to Monching del Rosario, has ordered the crude oil for us, to be delivered through the normal channels—which means the American oil companies. So in the purchase of Esso, I directed Ting [Vicente] Paterno who is negotiating this, as the Chairman of the Board of Philippine National Oil Corporation, to get Esso to guaranty delivery to us of the crude we are entitled to and which we obtained by government to government negotiations.
The negotiation for the cooperation of the 8 original Sulu rebels was initiated by Sec. Antonio Raquiza.
I attach the papers.
Prentice Hall will publish the two books, Today’s Revolution—Democracy and Notes on the New Society of the Philippines. I am revising them.