11:50 PM
On board the 777
to sleep here for an early
start at 7:30 AM tomorrow
with Dr. and Mrs. Sharon for Talaga
I have finished the notes on Philippine security problems. I attach the outline I dictated.
Chief Justice [Roberto] Concepcion is sick in the hospital and may not be able to attend the dinner on Monday.
It is apparent that the other justices are in favor of dismissing the petitions questioning the validity of the ratification of the New Constitution.
Official Gazette for January 27, 1973: DEFENSE SECRETARY Enrile issued Department Order No. 739 allowing bail to detainees in provincial, city and municipal, jails, provided formal request or petition for bail is filed in a civil court which has lawful jurisdiction over the offense and over the person accused. Whenever a petition or formal request for bail is filed with a civil court, the designated representative of the secretary shall officially or formally oppose or interpose no objection on the petition, taking into account the following considerations: 1) Gravity of the offense and evidence of guilt in the possession of the prosecution; 2) The extent of the offense’s effect on public order on the internal or external security of the Republic; 3) Whether the accused, by reason of prior criminal conviction, notorious reputation in the community, or overall record, has become a public charge and, therefore, his release on bail will impair public peace; 4) Likelihood of escape pending trial or the result thereof; and 5) Reliability of proposed surety or bond.
POLICE COMMISSION dismissed nine Rizal policemen and ordered the suspension of 29 others, including two municipal police chiefs. Twenty-nine newly suspended policemen, meanwhile, are still awaiting final disposition of their pending grave administrative cases by the new Polcom Adjudication Boards. They were ordered temporarily barred from the police service because of strong evidence of guilt against them. Since October 1972, the Polcom has dismissed 16 and suspended 734 policemen all over the country.
TRICYLE OWNERS and operators must have to follow strictly the requirement to secure permits from the Land Transportation Commission before they operate. They must also secure PC clearances before they register with the LTC. These requirements were evolved during a conference among PC authorities and officials of the LTC, the Board of Transportation, Bureau of Customs and the Motorcycle Assemblers and Sidecars Manufacturers Association of the Philippines (MASMAP). The officials agreed to adopt the new procedures so as to clamp down on smuggled and stolen tricycles and to supervise more closely the tricycle business which is getting very popular especially in low-income and rural areas. Prior to their registration with the LTC, the tricycles will have to be cleared by the PC. Owners of MASMAP tricycles, however, can go ahead and register with the LTC while awaiting PC clearance. They will have to pay a registration fee to the LTC which will be considered a deposit.
FILIPINOS SEEKING entry to Canada as non-immigrants for employment purposes must first obtain working visas. Secretary of Foreign Affairs Carlos P. Romulo announced that visitors to Canada for periods of more than three months are also required to register with immigration authorities even if they do not intend to work. The new Canadian immigration regulations known as the Non-Immigrant Entry Records and Employment Visa Regulations took effect Jan. 1, 1973. Workers with pre-arranged temporary employments in Canada can secure their employment visas from Canadian immigration representatives in their home countries. Not affected by the new regulations are Canadians, landed immigrants, diplomats, armed forces personnel on official duty, foreign news representatives, visiting businessmen, members of the clergy, persons engaged in professional sports, crews of foreign transport and tourists and visitors who do not remain for extended periods or take employment in Canada. Violations of the regulations is punishable by fines up to P500 and/or imprisonment up to six months or deportation from Canada.
But they want to be assured of their continuance in office under the new constitution with new appointments.
And they are under the influence of Justice J. B. L. Reyes who although retired as of last year still holds office at the Supreme Court.
But everybody else has accepted the new constitution and as we put it in the dinner conference we held tonight, how do the justices expect us to “unscramble the eggs already scrambled?”
We have to handle them with finesse as the Supreme Court might become the rallying point of the opponents of reform.