I am now busy settling conflicts on the candidacies for governor, mayor and even senator.
One of the last is that of Sen. A[lejandro] Almendras. He is playing hard to get, saying he does not want to run. But I know he does. What he wants is for me to promise financial support and the influence of my office to prevent his being junked by the leaders of the party even if he is an official candidate.
I stayed with him up to 4:00 PM this noon (I took lunch at 3:00 PM) as the leaders of Davao had all come to plead for him with him coyly denying any knowledge of their visit to me or any intention of running.
I merely said he would be nominated and he would not be junked but supported.
The political leaders are keeping me busy on the distribution of patronage and public works releases. On the latter I have imposed the condition that the funds be released direct to the treasurers and engineers and shall not be controlled by the politicians of whatever political affiliation. And funds should be released for projects in the program of the national government.
I issued instructions to Sec. of Foreign Affairs [Carlos] Romulo on the “Freedomland” matter. This is Itu ______. There is a great ado about the alleged shooting up of the speedboat of House Minority Leader Ramon Mitra off this island 300 miles east of Palawan while he was fishing. The story is fishy as nobody goes fishing that far away from Palawan.
Anyway, Sec. Romulo should sound out Nationalist China with the request that they evacuate the island which they have fortified and garrisoned. Now that Nationalist China needs
Official Gazette for July 8, 1971: President Marcos had a big stream of official callers whom he started receiving at mid-morning through up to about 3 p.m. Among those who called were:
1.Iloilo City Mayor Reinerio Ticao, accompanied by Speaker Protempore Jose Aldeguer and Rep. Fermin Caram, Jr., who brought up problems affecting the city. 2.The Philippine Normal College Faculty Association, which sought certification of House Bill No. 3002, providing free tuition for PNC undergraduates. 3.Gov. Jose B. Legaspi, accompanied by Rep. Rafael B. Legaspi of Aklan, who also discussed local problems. 4.Gov. Armando S. Cledera of Camarines Sur and Mayor Jose C. Villanueva of Iriga City, accompanied by Rep. Roberto Sabido of Albay, who again took up local problems. 5.Gov. Sergio Morales of South Cotabato, who likewise consulted him on local problems.
6.Mayors Eufenio Daconday of San Agustin, Carmen Martinez of Cortez and Candelario Viola of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, accompanied by Rep. Jose Puyat, Jr., all of whom focused on local problems, particularly roads and bridges. 7 Governors Verulo C. Boiser of.Davao del Norte, Leopoldo Lopez of Davao Oriental and Ramon de los Cientos of Davao del Sur, and Davao City Mayor Elias Lopez, accompanied by Reps. Artemio Al. Loyola, Lorenzo Sarmiento and Constancio Maglana. 8.Gov. Irene Balite of Northern Samar who also requested fund releases for public works projects.
The President attended to urgent state papers in the afternoon.
our help in the question of the entry of Red China and Nationalist China’s possible ejection from the UN [United Nations]. We can demand this from her.
I have asked Sec. Romulo to notify the U.S. of the situation.
Then I will convoke a national Security Council meeting next Saturday at 11:00 AM.
The three options or alternative courses of action depending on the situation—
- Martial law
- Continuation of the Presidential form of government
- Parliamentary form
In any case an extension of term by synchronization of elections in 1975.
Whatever the situation, if the presidential form is retained; it looks like Imelda will have to run for president either in 1973 or in 1975. As of now there is no other candidate who can beat the Liberals. In all probability the Liberal candidates will be Sen. Gerardo Roxas for President and Sen. Benigno Aquino for Vice President.
VPres. [Fernando] Lopez cannot win the nomination either by the Nacionalista or the Liberals Party. And he will not run if not nominated.
As of now nobody not acceptable to our group will or can be nominated by the Nacionalista party. This holds true of Sen. Salvador Laurel, Jose Diokno, Arturo Tolentino, Gil Puyat or any other aspirant for President of the Republic.
However, if the parliamentary form of government is adopted, then the course of action will depend on when it takes effect. If the amendment takes effect in 1973 or 1975, then I should run for representative in my old district and probably get chosen as Prime Minister.
But we should adopt measures to make the government stable by not allowing any transfer by representatives from one party to another, by limiting the number of political parties to three, by providing a minimum number of years for the Assembly or Parliament to be in power, by requiring that the Parliament can be dissolved only by 2/3 vote of all the members, by allowing the Prime Minister to choose one of his cabinet members to exercise ceremonial functions of government, etc.
The sophisticated control of the convention by the Nationalista delegates themselves who have organized and move as one with my advice.
Thus it seems quite possible to push through the proposals of synchronization of elections as well as a possible peculiarly Filipino type of parliamentary form of government if the presidential form is rejected.
But people comment that I have succeeded in making two former presidents the presidents of the Cons. [Constitutional] Convention. They refer to Ex. Pres. [Carlos] Garcia and Ex. Pres. [Diosdado] Macapagal. They say I have returned to them their dignity.
Actually what I predicted was correct. The delegates were so fragmentized that they needed an organizing hand and a leader.