AN OVERALL REVI EW OF BOTH THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE PHILIPPINES AS WELL AS TH E MILITARY AND SECURITY POLICIES:
This, of course, impinges on the economic planning which involves the entry of investments from foreign lands because as of today, more than 51% of all investments are still Americans, although the Japanese are moving in strongly and may take over the predominance in investments in the Philippines than at any time.
However much we may avoid it through safety precautions adopted either by legislation or by executive and legislative measures, investments do establish certain vested rights to protect and therefor do affect not only foreign policies but also military policies.
It is to be expected that South East Asia which is one of the richest sources of strategic raw materials will become the area of rivalry for industrialized countries who are concurrently military powers.
It is expected that there will be a shortage of copper, nickel, chromite, bauxite and other strategic materials which abound in the area. This complicates the problem of seeking to ultimately establish a zone of peace and neutrality to embrace all of South East Asia.
At the same time, it has always been at the back of the mind of small nations of South East Asia that ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] would ultimately develop into a military aggrupation that will counter-balance as the fifth force now predominant in the area, namely—the United States, Soviet Russia, the People’s Republic of China and Japan.
In my speech before the graduates of the National Defense College of April 15, 1975 which was extensively reported by the Washington Post through its Chief Correspondent in Asia, Don [Donald] Oberdorfer [Jr.], I stated that necessity and not hostility motivated my demand tor a reassessment of the military agreement between the United States and the Philippines, for I pointed out that the matter of determining the effectively of the military agreements which are intended to protect the Philippines from external aggression and other forms of attack raised the very problem of survival under our present security arrangement with the United States. I did explain that the United States is our closest ally, a very valuable ally up to now, that I am not seeking to [battle?] the United States into giving more military or other help by demanding a reassessment. I quote: “It is an inquiry on the part of a younger brother addressed to an older brother to whom he has depended not because of special relations but because of written treaties and agreements signed by the duly authorized representatives of both governments and ratified and confirmed by the respective Congresses of the two governments.”
Continued the quotation: “Prudence requires any political leader in the area to look into these matters in view of the debacle in the Indo-China area.” I attach the report of Don Oberdorfer in this clipping or the Washington Post.
On April 16th, I delivered the speech on the requirements of security and survival which is the basis for the call for a reassessment of the military arrangement. I have directed that we now protect our rear and our front if there is any retaliation on the part of the American government or government enterprises. I announced in the speech on the 28th before the Tripartite Congress of Labor and Management that we will continue to protect the business and investments in the Philippines in accordance with already established policies and the present reassessment of the military and security arrangements with the United States will not affect such pledges of aid and support for the business and investment sector.
At the same time, I have sent Governor Benjamin Romualdez to the United States to immediately get in touch with our friends in the U.S. Congress and in the State Department, specially Majority Floor Leader of the U.S. Senate Senator Mike Mansfield and of Speaker [Carl] Albert of the House of Representatives to assure them that the move to reassess our security arrangements are intended to strengthen both countries, and not to embarrass the United States in a difficult time. Our Governor Romualdez has spoken to me twice and he assured me that there is presently no move on the part of the American leadership both in the Government and in the business sector to retaliate against the Philippines but that they have adopted a line of the Washington Post editorial which states that the candid and clear headed vision demonstrated by the President of the Philippines in demanding a reassessment at a time of crisis should be welcomed as an opportunity on the part of the United States to now clarify as well as our position in relation to its allies not only in Asia but all over the world.
If this be the position adopted by the American leadership, then it becomes necessary that we now work out in detail the basis for our demand that the military agreements be abrogated completely and in lieu thereof, a more emotive and dignified as well as viable understanding be arrived at.
Office of the President
of the Philippines
Malacañang
______[1] revelation to me by Bob Shaplen of the New Yorker, during his interview about two weeks ago that Sec. [Alejandro] Melchor [Jr.] had said that he (Melchor) had prepared the position of the Philippines in the bases negotiations as presented to Sen. Mansfield about a month ago in the luncheon I gave for the Senate majority floor leader.
PC [Philippine Constabulary] Chief, Maj. Gen. Fidel Ramos has reported to Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile that when he went to Washington to attend the reunion of West Point Class ’51, he was asked in the Pentagon whether Sec. Melchor could take over the government and/or run the national government.
Maj. Gen. Fabian Ver of NISA (National Intelligence Security Authority) reports the dangerous activities of the members of the staff of Sec. Melchor, special Cols. Almonte and Cardenas.
When my bullet proof car, a Chrysler Imperial was brought in by C-130 which is operated by the PADC [Philippine Aerospace Development Corporation] under Sec. Melchor, the C-130 was loaded with smuggled household items and the officers of PADC refused to be inspected at the MIA [Manila International Airport] claiming the goods were for Malacañan.
The wire services also carried the story that under the table payments were made by Lockheed for the purchase of our C-130’s which was handled completely by Sec. Melchor. Sec. Melchor has explained that this was the previous years’ request of the Lockheed Philippine agent Boddy Orara for representation expenses before he bought the C-130’s. However he has said that the rebates paid back for Lockheed were all spent for legitimate purposes.
This is the first time I hear that Lockheed paid back rebates on the C-130 sale.
So he has become a liability and may have to be laid off.
But the dangerous aspect is selfishness and divisiveness that has crept into the ranks that was [sic] once united.
I am still around and there is a blatant and open grab for power.
So I will have to ask both to request a leave of absence from their positions.
[1] The first two pages of this entry are missin g, so it is difficult to determine the date on which it was written. The third page, which can be found in EDA, is labeled April 1975.