Ordered the withdrawal of all Metrocom [Metropolitan Command] units from the four cities of Manila, Quezon, Pasay and Caloocan after the mayors formally assumed their legal role of being primarily responsible for the maintenance of peace and order in their respective jurisdictions and after their report that their cities had returned to normalcy except for some incidents prominent among which are those of UP [University of the Philippines], Ateneo [de Manila University], UE [University of the East] and [University of] Sto. Tomas.
Almost all I talk to and those who have transmitted their suggestions to me feel that S.P. [Salvador] Lopez, the UP President should be changed as he has become ineffective.
In the MOPC [Manila Overseas Press Club] Meet the Press program recorded yesterday, I had said that the incidents in the University areas did not yet warrant the imposition of martial law but that if there is massive sabotage, terrorism und breakdown of law and order, it would be time to consider it.
I also reiterated that I did not want to be a strong man or dictator; that I was retiring from public life in 1973 and that Mrs. Marcos was not a candidate.
Official Gazette for February 4, 1971: President Marcos met with four city mayors of Greater Manila who reported to him that things have returned to normal in their respective cities. Those who met the president were Mayors Antonio J. Villegas of Manila, Macario Asistio of Caloocan City, Norberto Amoranto of Quezon City and Jovito Claudio of Pasay City.
Following the conference, the President announced that he was withdrawing the METROCOM troops reinforcing the regular police forces in Greater Manila since the mayors reported that the local police forces could already handle the situation resulting from the activities of student demonstrators. The mayors also reported that while there were still incidents of violence, these were few and far between and that tension has eased in their respective areas. The President said, however, that while the METROCOM will be withdrawn from anti-riot duties, routinary mobile patrol by METROCOM will continue. A representative of the local police force will accompany the METROCOM patrol.
“Inasmuch as we now are dealing with simple hooliganism and the commission of crimes, upon the request of local governments, the CIS and other police agencies of the national government have been directed to cooperate with the local officials to immediately identify the perpetrators of crimes and obtain evidence against them,” the President said. “It is hoped,” he added, “that this action will help stop the various incidents in the cities.”
In an interview aired over the Manila Overseas Press Forum in the evening, the President expressed the feeling that oil companies and other public utility firms should sell part of their securities to the public.
“I think they (oil companies) should now start selling securities to the public. You see, the feeling of most, and I think this is an accurate assessment, is that this is a monopoly which is controlled by a few Americans and these Americans are trying to impose upon our people an unfair and unjust prices. If the securities were sold to the public and were owned by as many people as possible then these accusations will not be valid,” the President said.
Asked on whether he favors buying directly from the oil producing-countries, the President said “this is a very ticklish matter. As you have probably been told, the question of the international game of buying and selling oil is that there are cartels, there are monopolies and there are mutual efforts to protect each other. I refer to suppliers as well as the big companies. However, we are looking inks this.”
The correspondent of Agence France [Presse] was leading to admit that in a crisis such as we are facing, a strong man is needed and takes over the situation and the government. But I parried it with “If you are suggesting that I take over the government, the answer is NO!”
One of the striking results of the UP incident is that the local police are incapable of taking over the university campuses. The military has to prepare the operations plans for such a move and implement it.
I must ask Gen. [Romeo] Espino to include this in OPLAN IISMI.
There are serious proposals to close the schools for the semester. But I do not believe that it is time to do it.
Tonight Sen. [Lorenzo] Tañada called me up that the members of the faculty of the UP (Dean [Irene] Cortes of Law, Miss [Marina] Dayrit, head of the UP Library, Prof. Castillo of Chemistry, wife of retired Col. Castillo, Mrs. Hidalgo of the Library and Mr. Dayrit, brother of Ms. Dayrit of the Library) feel that the situation has worsened in the UP after the withdrawal of the Metrocom and the QCPD.
There are more barricades and they are higher. The Arts and Science Building is completely without chairs or any furniture. They have been thrown out and burned or used as barricades. The Chemistry building is also in danger and it is full of equipment. This is also true of the Library.
Some students are barricading themselves in the Engineering building.
The Board of Regents is meeting tomorrow at 7:00 AM, then will inspect the buildings and decide as to what to do.