I met two groups of Human Rights vigilantes today. The first were the bishops of the Catholic Church and the two representatives of the International Commission Jurists, Prof. John Humphrey and Mr. William Butler. The meeting with the bishops was very demeaning to the...
1977
February 22, 1977
We sent additional instructions to USec. [Carmelo] Barbero from the Security Council that met yesterday noon: Reject the MNLF [Moro National Liberation Front] proposals as an offense to the honor and integrity of the Republic of the Philippines. Question the manner of...
February 21, 1977
Met the Executive Committee of the Security Council which received the report of Amb. Castro as well as the latest cable of Minister Ali Abdussalam Treki to me threatening termination of the negotiations because of the call to a plebiscite. Imelda and I sent letters...
February 20, 1977
Message by the telephone from USec. [Carmelo] Barbero through Amb. Carlos Valdez in Rome— That their meetings started at 6:00 PM and after 1½ hours Minister Ali Al Treki came down to preside and said he was more optimistic because he had talked to Pres. Marcos and he...
February 18, 1977
I received the following message from Amb. Carlos Valdez in Rome by telephone. USec. [Carmelo] Barbero says: Not to worry about the proposals of MNLF [Moro National Liberation Front] because since then the situation has improved. In the conference yesterday, he...
February 17, 1977
USec. [Carmelo] Barbero called up at 5:20 AM to tell me that he had talked to Minister Ali Al Treki who now insists he is against the plebiscite as there is martial law. USec. Barbero has shocked him with the statement that it was he (Ali Al Treki) who originally...
February 16, 1977
I have postponed the plebiscite in the 13 provinces of Mindanao and Palawan to Mar. 17, 1977. When Amb. Dreiza of Libya cane to see me at the PICC [Philippine International Convention Center] during the sessions of the Batasang Bayan, he left the impression that...
February 15, 1977
The Libyans and the Arabs are a most unreliable lot. Minister Ali Al Treki suggested the plebiscite before the negotiations’ end. Now his assistant Atraz claims the Libyan position is against the plebiscite and asks for postponement to after the negotiations ending...
February 14, 1977
I attach copy of another cable I dictated for Sec. [Carlos] Romulo to send to Sec. Gen. Karim Gaye. I talked to USec. [Carmelo] Barbero and in the conference this morning, they now agree to have our government hold the plebiscite but they will not participate. On the...
February 13, 1977
Sec. Gen. Karim Gaye has sent a cable opposing the holding of a plebiscite. I also attach copy of his call. I also attach our answers pointedly informing him this is an internal matter and that it was agreed upon in the Dec. 23, 1976 agreement as well as on February 9...