Friday
What really happened in the [Jose B.] Laurel and [Fernando] Lopez cases? This was asked by Sen. [Alejandro] Almendras and Sen. [Dominador] Aytona last night and this morning by Sens. [Ambrosio] Padilla, [Magnolia] Antonino and [Wenceslao] Lagumbay.
“Why did you not help Laurel,” Almendras inquired almost arrogantly.
So I had to patiently explain to them the actual happenings in these two cases, pushing down my natural reaction to the impertinence.
I had to tell them that Laurel lost the speakership because he had gotten drunk and had publicly insulted from the rostrum and on the floor with curses that were unprintable.
We had called him up to find out if he needed help in keeping the speakership (Imelda phoned him) but he said that he had everything under control and there was no need for me to help him. Imelda even asked him if it was necessary for us to have a conference and he said no. So we left for the South by boat (Negros Occidental, Bohol, Surigao del Norte, Leyte del Sur and ______ Sur).
And while we were away from Manila, the incident of drunkenness and unprintable words occurred. And fed up, the congressmen deposed him.
With respect to the Lopezes, they libeled and slandered me in their media (The Manila Chronicle and the ABS-CBN TV-Radio) because they could not get from me the economic favors that they demanded.
Then the VP just resigned from the position of Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources, released his resignation to the press before it was presented to me.
And since then, they have refused to meet with me except at the Meralco [Manila Electric Company] Bldg.
Gen. [Abdul Haris] Nasution departed at 4:30 PM.
Then golf up to 7:00PM. And the businessmans’ conference.