July 20, 1976

Tuesday

We have to prepare to take the slack in construction (now occupying 20,000-30,000 laborers) of hotels by early 1977 because by then the jobs in hotel construction will be over.

So the following have to be done.

The new government center or centers, 200 hectares in the reclamation area, 300 in Quezon City and 150 in Constitution Hill.

The satellite towns starting with Silangan.

The cottage, small and medium scale industries in the country side.

Disposal of large scale industry.

Power development

Housing

Regional centers for all departments

We are reviewing, on my instructions, the activities of the Christian-left.

I attach the following reports.

July 21-25, 1976[1][2]

Wednesday-Sunday

The first coherent explanation of the Christian Left-CPP [Communist Party of the Philippines]-NPA [New People’s Army] cohesion and union is from Lilia Judilla who claims to be a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

It has been under preparation for about two weeks and contains over-enthusiastic and optimistic projections of the unions capabilities, strength and achievements but by and large it is a conceptional and organizational guideline. The voluminous papers are part of this date’s diary.

She is the girl friend of a priest, Father Emmanuel [Natayra?] of the Apostolate for Cultural Comm. Director now in Ateneo University for a doctorate.

So on July 23, 1976, I called all the Zone Commanders and the United Commanders including Task Force Commander Col. Ahorro of the three Davaos (which have been returned to the IV PC [Philippine Constabulary] Zone for control and operations) to Camp Aguinaldo GHQ to order a change of tactics from laxity to alertness and counter action decided on their level without necessity for clearance from higher headquarters except the apprehension of nuns and priests.

I was interviewed by Richard Cheswolf.

Executive Editor of Newsweek who acts like a friend. The August 2, 1976 Newsweek story by Carter S. Wiseman and Paul Brinkley Rogers. Very caustic and spots of deliberate falsehood. Cannot trust the American press free wheeling and open.

“I am still holding out for an election of the Sangguniang Pambansa or National Legislative Council.” “I hope to hold it not later than the first quarter of next year.”

We cannot understand American policy in the Philippines. It seems to us schizophrenic until a strong leader can infuse rationality into the confusion. This is specially true of the military bases. Under the [Gerald] Ford-Marcos communique of December 1975, sovereignty over bases by the Philippines is recognized. Now the U.S. negotiating panel would want the “facilities” given to the U.S. Armed Forces by the Philippines as separated from the Philippines bases. In short such facilities would not be under the jurisdiction and sovereignty of the Philippines. Weare vigorously opposed to this. This is where the stalemate is.

“You are not the only one who is schizophrenic, the Filipinos are too. We are trying hard to be Orientals and yet we adhere to our Western culture. The love-hate relationship between the Philippines and the United States has been exacerbated of late by the current developments, love when we fought together in the war, hate because you imposed oppressive terms of exploitation on us like Parity Provision on our constitution and the military bases as a consideration for war damage and military assistance.”

“The political opposition will never be guilty of originality nor imagination nor elegance of style nor manhood. They are reduced to a bunch of gossipy old women. The fashion in Washington is to ‘strip and tell.’ Sex is the obsession. So the opposition must be fashionable and charge me as less of the same offense. This, of course, goes all the way back to the Lopez campaign of character assassination in 1971-1972.”

“I want to move the country into the next phase of constitutional development by organizing the National Legislative Council (The Sangguniang Pambansa) even if its powers should be limited or advisory in the meantime.”

Ambassador [William] Sullivan has formally notified the Philippine panel that the United States under the Mutual Defense Treaty does not intend to defend any part of the Philippines that is attacked if such attack does not endanger or directly affect: the military bases that they use. This is the Senator [William Stuart] Symington [Jr.] position in a congressional hearing (U.S. Congress). And this position practically negates the Mutual Defense Treaty without benefit of our consent. For if the U.S. will not defend any part of the Philippines unless the military bases are directly affected or threatened by the attack, then the Mutual Defense Treaty is practically value less to the Philippines.

So we have asked the Chief of Staff to seek a clarification of this matter in a Mutual Defense Board meeting.