Met the priests who have been released Father [Cornelio] Lagerway, [Constante] Floresca and [Santos] Rabang. We agreed we were working for the same objectives but that they should now help us by being the liaison with the Philippine Priests Asso. for the last two and the foreign priests for the first who immediately wanted the government to finance the magazines he publishes “Ang Tao” on a propaganda campaign.
Fathers Floresca and Rabang both claimed they too were working for a radical change inside the church.
Then met the Asian Press Institute of which Chino [Joaquin] Roces is the President. I agreed to their meeting the detainees, working out a Press Consultative Panel to negotiate the
Official Gazette for this October 4, 1972: THE PRESIDENT received three priests under detention who offered to participate actively in bringing about a new society through social, economic and political reforms.
The priests, Fr. Cornelio Lagerway, Fr. Constante Floresca and Fr. Santos Rabang, said they had been organizing the masses against the politicians but that this was no longer necessary because the proclamation of Martial Law has done away with politicians.
They also expressed satisfaction over the general peace and order situation, the institution of land reform throughout the country, and the cleaning of the government of corrupt and dishonest men.
The three priests were accompanied to Malacañang by Defense Secretary Juan Ponce Enrile.
Later in the morning, the President met with Commerce Secretary Troadio Quiazon, Jr., NACIDA Administrator Mario Reyes and Ambassador Gregorio Abad.
The President prodded the officials to rush the establishment of the Philippine House in Sydney, Australia. Secretary Quiazon assured the President that the House would be ready for inauguration on November 15, 1972.
Quiazon informed the President that everything was ready for shipment, including some P190,000 worth of Philippine products, mostly from cottage industries, while Administrator Reyes said that some P60,000 worth of samples had already been shipped to Sydney.
While working on official papers following the conference, the President issued:
1) Letter of Instruction No. 21, directing the Secretary of Education to dismiss immediately or to consider as resigned or retired certain officials and employees of the Department as recommended by the Secretary, in order to facilitate the implementation of the program of reforms of the Government.
2) Presidential Decree No. 12-A, ordering and decreeing procedures for the speedy investigation and disposition of cases filed against members of city and municipal police forces throughout the country.
3) Presidential Decree No. 13, amending Section 5 of the general provisions of the 1973 Appropriation Act in order to authorize the use of savings to meet the expenditures arising as a result of Proclamation No. 1081, dated September 21, 1972, and other orders, decrees or instructions issued as a consequence of said Proclamation No. 1081.
In the course of the day, the President directed Acting Central Bank Governor Amado Briñas to circularize all banks to the effect that the provisions of Republic Acts Nos. 1405 and 6426 would be observed at all times, thus assuring the public that the inviolability of records of bank deposits, as guaranteed by the two Republic Acts, would be respected.
The President said records of deposits “cannot be inquired into by anyone, including the government.”
In another move, the President directed Secretary of Agrarian Reform Conrado Estrella to start negotiations for the immediate acquisition of 10,000 hectares of land belonging to Tabacalera in Isabela, and to make it available to farmers.
normalization of relationship between the government and media—it being agreed that the Consultative Panel will be composed mostly of our men in government. Kits [Francisco] Tatad has issued a communique with them.
Approved the Bureau of Posts dismissal and the release of Cong. Carlos Imperial provided that he helps in the campaign to surrender the arms of his men. And the release of Labor Leader Vicente Rafael.
Tonight I was interviewed by Wall Street Journal’s Peter Kahn. And The U.S. World and News Reports Mack Chrysler. The first is a Pulitzer Price winner on his reporting on the Bangladesh war and the second is an old hand in Asia.
The New York Times editorial of Oct. 4, 1972 said for the genuine economic and social reforms “the Phil. President deserves open encouragement from the U.S. government. This could take the form of generous economic assistance for programs to help the majority of Filipinos who have profited little or not it all from 26 years of national independence.”
I attach cabled report on editorial.