Ex-Gov. Datu Udtog Matalam, appearing before Sen. [Mamintal] Tamano, blamed me for the Cotabato violence. “Kasalanan lahat ni Marcos ito,” he declared.
He is a lying by cunning old boa constrictor. The violence was started by his blackshirts under his son and which are the armed elements of the Moslem Independence Movement.
And Pendatun is his brains.
So I attach the intelligence reports on the Cotabato affair which document the events as they happened.
Some people including Rudy Tupas, editor of the Sunday Times, claim that there are no “blackshirts” and that the encounter in which about 40 Muslims were killed was a mistake encounter between constabulary men in two patrols. The SI attached proves the contrary.
Official Gazette for March 14, 1971: PRESIDENT MARCOS reminded elected delegates to the Constitutional Convention of their solemn duty to rewrite the Philippine Constitution to make it more responsive to the needs of the people.
The President gave the reminder when he addressed 21 delegates from Northern Luzon during the testimonial luncheon at Camp Aguinaldo given in their honor by the USAFIP-NL.
In his address, the President said:
“I am for radical reforms. But I am for radical reforms that can be implemented, reforms that will alter the social structure and bridge the gap between the rich and the poor.”
The President reiterated his state-of-the-nation message to the effect that reforms are some of the most important things that the people need today.
However, he told the delegates that they should not expect him to come to them because it would create the impression that he was “imposing” on them.
“I will be more circumspect and prudent in seeing to it that you are considered independent,” the President told the delegates-elect.
During the luncheon, the President also inducted former Rep. Miguel Rilloraza, Jr. of La Union as the new presidential legislative liaison.
The President spent most of his time going over state papers, and did not receive any caller.
Among the papers he studied were those on prospective candidates for salas in the courts of first instance of several provinces, and the vacancies in the Philippine Virginia Tobacco Administration. The entire PVTA board has tendered its resignation to give the President leeway in reorganizing the tobacco agency.
He also issued two executive orders, one placing the Anti-Smuggling Action Center (ASAC) under the direct supervision and control of the secretary of finance; the other reconstituting the Gomez, Burgos, Zamora Centennial Commission, by designating Supreme Court Justice Calixto Zaldivar as chairman of the commission, vice Fr. Horacio de la Costa.
The Commission was charged, among others, with the preparation and management of the general program of the centenary, as well as the publication of the writings of the three martyr priests, and such other Works pertaining to the martyrs, considered necessary in the proper understanding of their lives and labors, specially as these relate to the development of the Filipino nation
Met the delegates to the Constitutional Convention from the ethnic north in a USAFIP-NL [United States Army Forces in the Philippines – Northern Luzon] hosted luncheon at the officers club-house at Camp Aguinaldo.
I am amazed at the confusion that pervades the convention. The delegates have broken up into small groups and factions with their respective positions.
Now Dr. Salvador Araneta is sponsoring a move to have a collective leadership in the convention. And a 33-man group is supposed to prepare the rules.
At the rate they are going, they will not be able to write a constitution in two years.
I asked the northern delegates to unite and they have agreed on the name Timpuyog for their group. This is the Ilocano word for Unity.
Tony [Antonio] Raquiza is acceptable as floor leader but he seems lazy and uninvolved.
Ambassador Mauro Baradi is old but still mentally alert.
Greg Purugganan [Gregorio Parunganan] and Demetrio Quirino or Manuel Molina could be articulate.