Have been busy attending to the preparations for the campaign—the films, audiovisual units, printed materials etc.
And tonight the source of funds. There are less contributions now than in 1969.
The Cavite provincial committee headed by Sen. Helena Benitez insist upon Lino Bocalan, the notorious smuggler, as the NP [Nacionalista] official candidate for governor. I have told them I would prefer to have somebody else.
Worked until 3:15 PM on the conflicts of candidates and the releases for the provinces and municipalities.
Lanao del Norte is turning out to be a peace and order problem. The mayor of Kapatagan was murdered in cold blood by the armed men of Gov. [Arsenio] Quibranza and the PC
Official Gazette for August 3, 1971: President Marcos had a busy schedule receiving callers, some of them coming in large delegations, apart from which he also put in an active day attending to important state papers and other official business. Notable among those who called on the President were:
1. Speaker Hadji Achmad Sjoichu of Indonesia, who made a courtesy call following his arrival for a brief official visit. 2. Yuichi Nishida, Japanese businessman, who plans to invest in a joint venture with Filipinos to put up refrigeration plants and set up shrimp ponds. 3. The Philippine basketball team participating in the Pesta Sukan basketball games in-Singapore. Accompanying the group on the call were Sen. Emmanuel Pelaez and Manila Councilor Lito Puyat. 4. Governors Carmeling P. Crisologo of Ilocos Sur, Elizabeth M. Keon of Ilocos Norte, Teresita Dupaya of Cagayan, Consuelo Calo of Agusan and Salvacion Yñiguez of Southern Leyte, who came to see the President on problems in their constituencies.
5. Gov. Antonio Ortiz of Guimaras and Mayor Jose Oliveras, president of the League of Mayors, accompanied by Mayors Luis Herrera and Abelardo Javellana of Jordan and Buenavista, respectively, who also consulted the President on local problems. 6. Nicanor Sison, who took his oath of office before the President. He is the new judge of the court of first instance of Pasig, Rizal. 7. The officers and members of the Government Prosecutors League, who thanked the President for appointing colleagues to the judiciary. The League officers were inducted by the President. 8. Quezon City Mayor Norberto Amoranto and Vice Mayor Ismael, Jr., who also discussed local problems.9. A group of mayors from Cavite, who were accompanied by Sen. Helena Z. Benitez. Three of the mayors, former Liberals, took their oath of affiliation with the NP.
In the afternoon, the President directed all government agencies concerned to push the anti-narcotics drive in order to awaken nationwide consciousness on the urgency of solving this grave national problem.
Upon recommendation of the Cabinet, the President:
1. Ordered the director of private schools to call the attention of all heads of private schools, particularly those in the Greater Manila area, to the gravity of this national problem and enlist their participation in the drive; 2. Sought the reactivation of all police units engaged in anti-narcotics operations. The President also submitted to the Commission on Appointments for confirmation, the nominations of six persons to judiciary posts—three as municipal judges and three as clerks of court. Nominated were:
1. Mariano A. Mendieta, as municipal judge of Meycauayan, Bulacan. 2. Abraham Alagar, as municipal judge of Imus, Cavite. 3. Dominador Ll. Mercado, as municipal judge of Bacon, Sorsogon. 4. Teresita D. Capulong, as branch clerk of court CFI, Manila. Branch XVII. 5. Carmen Zapata Reyes, as branch clerk of court, CFJ, Manila, Branch XI. 6. Renato S. Mercado, as clerk of court, CFI, Sub-province of Quirino.
[Philippine Constabulary] has not yet arrested the culprits.
The Cons. Con. [Constitutional Convention] has not been able to organize its committees up to now. And Pres. [Diosdado] Macapagal is in daily terror of being replaced as president of the convention. So he does not dare impose discipline lest he lose votes among the delegates.
There are two Pampanga leaders of a kind. Sen. Pres. [Gil] Puyat is in the same fix.
I know the situation too well. I was Senate President for two years—and for two years under the sword of Damocles of a reorganization.
The Liberals asked the Comelec [Commission on Elections] to stop alleged excessive releases of public works funds. Chairman [Jaime] Ferrer, while claiming no power, because of the provisions of the law to stop the releases before the 45 day period before the elections, did not miss the opportunity to deliver a nasty sermon to me and Congress.
What an arrogant ingrate he has turned out to be.
The position of chairman of Comelec has certainly turned his head—this former executive assistant of mine.
And the Liberals must be desperately looking around for an excuse for their coming failure in the polls.
For we are actually not spending more than ¼ of the amount we spent last year when we were visited by 21 typhoons. Last year we spent about P200 million in about six months. Now we have not spent, notwithstanding the several typhoons that have hit us the last two months.
I have predicted that if the Liberals get 20% of the votes, they will be lucky.
Sec. of State William Rogers of the U.S. has just announced the American support for the two-China policy.