Friday
The web-fed printing press that is in storage at the stadium may just be the machinery required for the newspaper we intend to publish. Johnny Perez is checking.
Have just met Justice Fred Ruiz Castro. He came to tell me at 9:00 PM at [Bahay] Pangarap that there will be a briefing by the Chief of Staff of the basis for the suspension. He feels that he should have an SI of everything which he is going to use without revealing the source or the more confidential details. And another briefing paper could be prepared for the entire court.
He assured me that there is nothing to fear from the Supreme Court. That even if the case would be decided unanimously, that it would be decided with an overwhelming majority.
And that the decision as he sees it from the discussions will be that the Supreme Court has examined the basis for the suspension of the privilege and does not see any abuse of the powers of the President. He said this would then strengthen my hand.
He was against the total lifting of the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus because as he claims he has told the court, he believes that there is an existing rebellion and that Manila is its center and he realizes the danger that we face.
Yesterday I anticipated this and I ordered that briefing papers be prepared for the Supreme Court to be made by the Chief of Staff.
It will be ticklish as we may have to reveal highly confidential information.
And anyway, the doctrine in the Barcelon v. Baker case of 1905 carried over to the Montenegro case in 1955 has apparently been modified. And that doctrine to the effect that the decision of the chief executive to suspend the privilege of the writ is a political decision and is not subject to judicial review has apparently given way to the doctrine that the decision of the president can be reviewed to determine if there was any abuse; whether it was a mischievous or whimsical decision; whether there was actually no basis for it whatsoever.
This is a dangerous doctrine. In the future the president will have to allow overt acts of agression [sic] to impress upon the Supreme Court and the people the need for the suspension—no matter how dangerous this would be as the massive sabotage and terrorism or even the demoralization of the people and the political leadership may have set in. The communists would then have attained their primary objective.
I understand the decision to call for a briefing was made after an emotional appeal of the Chief Justice that the people have lost faith in the executive and the legislative branch of the government and they must not have the same feeling for the Supreme Court.
So it is quite apparent that pure legal principle has been junked for political expediency. And even the honorable justices want to be popular!
What a grave disappointment.
12:00 PM October 2, 1971[1]
Spoke before the National Labor Unity Congress at the GSIS [Government Service Insurance System] at about 10:30 AM. No problem of security.
Before that I signed the bills increasing the salaries of officers and employees in the government: education, Foreign Affairs, LTC [Land Transportation Commission], pharmacists, accounting officers, immigration.
Then I received the report of Col. Eleazer Pinto from Gen. Abang Kifli who has sent over documents incriminating Salipada Pendatun and Raschid Lucman in the organization of a subversive organization that would put up a Republic of Mindanao and the shipment of firearms to the island of Marore to be picked up by Lucman’s kumpits to be brought to Lebak and Malabang.
Met the U.S. Armed Forces Intelligence Chief Lt. Gen. Bennett and his deputy Maj. Gen. Stewart and Col. Kemp their assistant, accompanied by Minister Hamilton and Cols. Patterson and Peterson.
Then worked on the Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental and Cotabato problems.
Gov. [Arsenio] Quibranza has not arrived and Gen. [Wilfredo] Encarnacion is apparently disqualified. So we have no common candidate.
Worked on the jingles for the anti-communist campaign as well as for the senatorial candidates including the investment on film processing.
Conferred with [Roberto] Bobby Benedicto on the finances of the campaign and [Eduardo] Danding Cojuangco [Jr.] on the Tarlac situation.
10:20 PM October 3, 1971[2]
Was guest speaker at the Federation of Free Farmers convention at Christ the King from 10:00 AM to 12:00 [P]M.
I repeated my pledge to help this organization attain its objectives which is the ownership of the land to the tillers. It is my intention to strengthen them so that the communists may not succeed in harnessing the people with grievances to their cause.
They do not advocate violence which I oppose.
And they support the principles I stand for.
There are many politicians like Lorenzo Sarmiento of Davao del Norte who feel that the Free Farmers are a threat to our Republic. They are indeed a threat, not to the Republic, but to the big landgrabbers, ranchers, forest concession owners and the selfish dishonest politicians.
So I released P250,000 for the PCCSJR [sic] [Presidential Coordinating Committee for Social Justice and Agrarian Reform (PCCSJAR)] which is chairmanned by Sec. Conrado Estrella with the FFF represented by Edgardo Veriña and Charlie Avila.
This commission acts immediately on all complaints or valid grievances by the tenants and small farmers. It performs what a regular government office should be performing in the prevention of social discontent erupting in violence not only against the government but against the oppressive individuals in our society.
So I encourage it.
And I will appoint more CAR [Court of Agrarian Relations] judges as well as reexamine the grant of big grazing lands and the sale of public lands to private persons.
Distributed my book on Revolution.
Also checked on the translation of the book into the dialects, the use of the Audio Visual units and other campaign materials.
Another storm has just hit Samar and Typhoon Signal No. 1 is up in Manila.
11:10 PM October 4, 1971[3]
Monday
We worked on the briefing by the Chief of Staff, Gen. [Manuel] Yan, for the Supreme Court. I had to tell the Intelligence boys that what the Justices want is hard facts, proofs and evidence—not surmises or estimates or projections.
And we may include films of the communists in action. This brilliant group of Escudero, Dodo Manandas, Tony Mercado, ______ produced some one-minute films that shock you into awareness of the communist threat.
These will be tied up to the open commitment [sic] I have made for the Nacionalista Party to fight communism, my invitation to Senator Gerardo Roxas to make the fight a national effort and the refusal of the Liberal Party to commit itself to the democratic cause openly.
Our audio-visual units of course have been showing such films of the Mao Tse Tung and Dante [Bernabe Buscayno] followers marching to take over the country—in the rural areas.
And the films are really shockers. They should bring sobriety to our people.
My eldest daughter, Imee writes that she has started to read my book and finds it brilliant and fantastic!
[1] Official Gazette for October 2, 1971: P resident Marcos addressed the special convention of the National Labor Unity Congress at the GSIS auditorium, which was convened to enable the labor ranks to determine the most qualified candidates for senator. All the 16 senatorial candidates, both Nacionalistas and Liberals, President Marcos and Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. of the Liberal Party had been invited but only the President and candidates Bias F. Ople, Alejandro Almendras and Ernesto Maceda showed up at the convention. In his address before the huge assembly, the President accused the opposition of trying to deceive the electorate, and challenged the Liberal candidates to put up a platform of government for the country. The President also challenged the opposition to define its stand on the question of communism and private ownership, the suspension of the privilege of the writ “ Of habeas corpus, and many other issues. In the afternoon, the President met with the leaders of Lanao del Norte for the third time on two days to find solutions to the peace and order problems in the province. The President reiterated his decision to maintain law and order in the province and warned that any further outbreak of lawlessness in the area would be met with force. The President, however, said he would exhaust all means to seek a political solution to the peace and order problem in the province. In the meantime, the President directed all government agencies to reorient the entire civic action efforts of the government in Lanao del Norte, and the Department of National Defense to provide transportation facilities for the return of Muslim evacuees to their homes. The President also directed Brig. Gen. Eduardo Garcia, PC chief, to pull out and replace all CIS ag-ents sent to the province who were living with partisan families, as well as all PC officers and men suspected of harassment.Rep. Dimaporo reported that some CIS agents sent to the province were living in the house of Governor Quibranza and that an officer and some enlisted men of the 441st PC Company had harassed his brother, Rep. Macacuna Dimaporo of Lanao del Sur, although he had identified himself properly to them. On the suggestion of the civic leaders that the President impose “ selective martial law ” in areas where there is disorder, particularly where the people had left their homes, the President said he would “ not consider this casually ” because “ it requires serious and careful study. ” The President said he was afraid innocent civilians would suffer should this happen, but promised that he would send even up to a whole division to maintain the majesty of the law in the province. Present at the conference were Senators Emmanuel Pelaez and Lorenzo Teves, Reps. Ali Dimaporo and Constantino Navarro, Vice Gov. Malamit Umpa, Iligan City Mayor Camilo Cabili, Dr. Angelo Maralo of the Concerned Citizens Movement, Salvador Nosce of the Bankers Club, Jose Siy of the Association of Schools and Colleges, Manuel Laurel of the Ozamis City Civic and Religious Organizations, Sebastian Cortes and Perfecto Riveral of the CCM, Pafs Mejia of the Cursillo Movement, Raul Sepulvecla of the Citizens Social Action Committee, Saturnino Chan of Iligan Chamber of Commerce, and Judge Michael Adeva. The President convened the meeting- at past 12 noon and adjourned it at 2 p.m., to meet other government officials who took up with him matters convering their respective departments.
[2] Official Gazette for October 3, 1971: P resident Marcos motored out of Malacañang at mid-morning for Quezon City to address the 18th annual convention of the Free Farmers Federation (FFF), held at the Divine Word Mission Seminary gymnasium. In his speech, the President assured the farmers of the country that the administration will continue to initiate and extend all-out support to measures designed to ameliorate their living conditions. He also announced two basic measures designed to help the small farmers and the farm workers, particularly in the sugar industry, namely, the formulation of a basic land distribution policy and the creation of a sugar council to administer the special amelioration fund. The President directed Secretary of Agrarian Reform Conrado F. Estrella to draft, in collaboration with the secretary of agriculture and natural resources, the commissioner of the Small Farmers Commission, and the directors of land and of forestry, an administrative order setting down the basic policy. He lauded the FFF as a kind of movement that would be helped by the government and by every Filipino because, he said, it “ is carrying the banner of democratic revolution in the countrysides. ” The President was back at Malacañang in time for lunch. He took some rest afterward, and then worked on state papers later in the afternoon.
[3] Official Gazette for October 4, 1971: P resident Marcos signed the national budget for the fiscal year 1971-1972 totalling P4,169,732,780. The budget represents an increase of P453,516,943 over that of the previous one. The increase was due to expanded public services, especially in health and education, salary adjustments, and the creation of new offices necessary for a developing economy. Congress appropriations also had an increase from P94,842,000 to P110,780,012 or a difference of P15,956,012. The President also signed a message on the vetoed items, consisting mostly of new appropriations for the executive department. In another major action, the President issued Proclamation No. 889-D lifting the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in seven more provinces and four more cities of Luzon. The President lifted the suspension of the writ privilege in the provinces of Cagayan, Cavite, Mountain Province, Kalinga-Apayao, Camarines Norte, Albay and Sorsogon, and in the cities of Cavite, Tagaytay, Trece Martires and Legaspi. The President started the day disposing of urgent official papers in his study. At noon, he received the officers of the League of Women Voters of the Philippines, whom he inducted into office. Inducted were Paz Veto Planas, president; Remedios Gatmaitan, 1st vice president; Felicidad Calip, 2nd vice president; Agustina Rosete Navarro, secretary; Catalina M. Evangelista, assistant secretary; Felicidad Soller, treasurer; Consolacion Ilagan, auditor; and Pacita Catolico, Adelina Rodriguez and Beatriz Ronquillo, board members. They were accompanied to Malacañang by Mrs. Josefa Edralin-Marcos, mother of the President and adviser of the organization. The President resumed his desk work later in the afternoon, during which he signed into law House Bill No. 3559, which divides the province of Lanao del Sur into the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Maranaw. As provided in the bill, Lanao del Sur would include the municipalities of Lumbatan, Butig, Binadayan, Bayang, Tubaran, Madalum, Madamba, Bacolod Grande and Balindong. The Province of Maranaw would consist of the municipalities of Masiu, Poona-Bayabao, Wao, Tamparan, Marantao, Kapai, Bubong, Ramain-Ditsaan, Mulondo, Saguiaran, Piagapo and Taraka.