(My Birthday) The cry of happiness of two of the poorest families in Cabasan, Masantol, Pampanga when they started to look into the envelopes I had left with them as a gift and I had left their house to cross the waters surrounding their shack—was one of the best...
1974
September 6, 7, and 8, 1974
Official Gazette for September 6, 1974: THE PRESIDENT ordered the release of P10 million from the calamity fund to speed up the rehabilitation of fishpond and fishpen projects devastated by the recent floods. Most of the outlay will go to the purchase of fingerlings...
September 3, 4, and 5, 1974
I have decided to open the channel of communication and negotiation with the Muslim rebels specially the Moro National Liberation Front through my old guerilla soldier, Isidro Saceda, the son of a Lebanese father who has been staying in Jolo since the presidential...
September 2, 1974
I have agreed to a press statement and an aide memoire prepared by Dr. [Mohammad Hassan] El Tohamy I enclose these documents prepared during the morning meeting with Sec. [Alejandro] Melchor [Jr.] but corrected by me 5:00 to 7:40 PM before Tohamy’s departure at 8:20...
September 1, 1974
What is the truth about the raid on the Novitiate of the Sacred Heart at Novaliches? Was there any basis for the raid? The truth is that there was reason to mid the Novitiate as Father Blanco even before Martial Law had been advocating revolution. Four participants in...
August 31, 1974
Archbishop Jaime Sin and Cardinal [Julio] Rosales met with me this morning. Archbishop Sin was almost apologetic for his almost condemnatory letter which will be read in the churches and in the vigil at 3:00 PM tomorrow. But I am disappointed in him. He has merely...
August 30, 1974
As I suspected Father [Jose] Blanco sought some more publicity by refusing to be released. PC [Philippine Constabulary] Chief MGen. [Fidel] Ramos did right by refusing to humour him—but courteously so. Because as he explained he had his orders to release him. Father...
August 28, 1974
Called Father Jose Blanco to Malacañang with Sec. [Juan] Ponce Enrile, Gens. [Fidel] Ramos, [Fabian] Ver and [Prospero] Olivas to convince him to work for our reforms and support the government. He was agreeable and stated that he would ask that government agents...
August 27, 1974
Have ordered the declassification of the tentative findings of Intelligence Operations “Sea Hawk”; the briefing of the Catholic hierarchy, foreign correspondents and even the military officers on an on-the-record and off-the-record basis. This was after my conference...
August 26, 1974
The Sacred Heart Novitiate of the Jesuits at Novaliches has been raided by the NISA [National Intelligence and Security Authority] and the Metrocom [Metropolitan Command]. Father Jose Blanco, Jose Alto, head of the Liquidation squad (both of the (KASAPI) Kapisanan...