10 minutes interview by BBC’s Derek Wilson (London based in Singapore).
15 minutes TV interview by ABC’s Jim Giggans based in Saigon. He is colored and I like him.
Then 15 minutes TV interview by CBS’s Don Webster for the [Walter] Cronkite show.
And finally 20 minutes interview by correspondent Mr. Saito of the Asahi Shimbun.
Practically the same question on martial law.
ABC and CBS will mean millions more of listeners and viewers. I was able to put in the points. The landing in Palawan, invisible government, front organizations, urban guerrillas and better yet—that we have been fighting since the war—and our children will not fight the same battles all over again.
I attach a sample of letters and messages we are getting about these interviews—a letter from [Antonio] Tony Raquiza.
Asked [Sixto] Ting Roxas who arrived only yesterday to work in the Think Tank and start on the Housing program.
Then met the generals for the command conference for lunch.
- Explained reform program.
- The rise of criminality in the Greater Manila area. There was a hold-up of Equitable Bank of more than P100,000 yesterday by three men in uniform. And Rudy Martell reports his paymaster was robbed P800 last Saturday night by men in uniform at the clover leaf at Epifanio de los Santos riding in a bantam car with number 32-45.
We agreed to pick up all police characters and concentrate them. Increase strength of Metrocom [Metropolitan Command] by 150 men provided with tactical vehicles for immediate reaction to reports of crime.
And agent Chua of Metrocom, a former or retired master sergeant, was held up last night with the collusion of the taxi driver of the taxi he was riding in at about the
No Official Gazette entry for this day.
same place by two men whom he had to shoot with his .45. He suffered a head wound from the taxi driver.
A carnap by three men in uniform took place the other day.
We agreed to push the clean up of the local police faster.
3. The trial by the military tribunals of the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines] personnel in gun running and the manufacturers of the bomb that was used in bombing Joe’s Dept. Store that killed one.
As well as the Chinese manufacturers and dealers in heroin.
4. Military operations—I suggested that we catch the leaders of the NPA [New People’s Army] in a commanders’ conference which I am sure they will call any day now. And since Isabela is now harvesting mountain rice if we stop the operations there all the leaders of the NPA will seek sanctuary there.
So all units will double operations (except those in Isabela). Then we dragnet Isabela.
I attach report on the assassination plot. The guns of [Sergio] Osmeña [Jr.] have been confiscated—his houses in Cebu and Manila have been raided; so has his apartment and hideout