Thursday
We have just finished a meeting with about 44 delegates to the Cons. Con. [Constitutional Convention] at [Bahay] Pangarap. They themselves decided to organize and choose their leaders for an open confrontation with the [Raul] Manglapus-[Teofisto] Guingona [Jr.] group first on the Rama Anti-Marcos resolution. We meet the rest or all of them Tuesday.
As of the last count there are only about a hundred delegates loyal to us.
The Manglapus-Guingona group may have the same number.
The rest are independent.
A tidal wave has hit western Philippines.
The memorandum and outline of arguments of the Solicitor General are finished.
It offers my appearing before the Supreme Court to answer any questions on the basis of fact of the suspension. As well us all the facilities of my office for them to go to the field for investigation.
The doctrine of review is dangerous as it will undermine the habit of obedience inbred in the military. For every soldier may entertain doubts as to the loyalty of the ardor suspending the privilege of the writ or even of martial law—and this cause [sic] a delay which would be fatal to the security of the state.
11:45 PM October 8, 1971[1]
Friday
In the hearing this morning at the Supreme Court, the Justices showed their antagonism to the idea of a judicial review of the presidential decision in their questions. Sen. [Jose] Diokno and the other counsel were embarrassed when they were asked what was meant by judicial review; was it scrutiny of evidence submitted as in a trial court. Diokno lamely answered that it could mean taking judicial notice of facts—which of course was obviously rejected by the Justices.
This was confirmed by Justice Fred Ruiz Castro who saw me at 8:00 PM at [Bahay] Pangarap who said that there can be no review of the presidential decision because the Supreme Court is not an appellate court to the President but an “inquiry” if the proclamation of the president is arbitrary, whimsical or capricious—that is that there is no basis for the proclamation at all.
He claims the Justices are unanimous on this.
But even this is opening the floodgates of inquiry which would swamp the ship of state. Insecurity may follow.
Had a pleasant and enjoyable time during the Meet the Press interview making fun of the columnists Max [Maximo] Soliven, Renato Constantino, Armando [sic] [Amando] Doronila, Rudy Romero and Jose de la Cruz.
Example:
“Tato Constantino, according to the rumors was so afraid of being arrested, so he refused to come back to Manila from Paris.
Max —“Like Joe Guevara who stayed away.”
Pres—“The only reason Joe should be arrested is the lousy puns in his column.”
Pres—“I prefer to be a columnist so I will be licensed to say the most odious things like Max.”
Irene whom I called by telephone reports she hurt her wounded arm again in hockey as she went to shoot the goal. She wanted to say goodbye to her mother who leaves tomorrow for India.
11:00 PM October 9, 1971[2]
Saturday
I am all alone in the palace as Imelda left at about 6:30 PM by Quantas for Hongkong, thence to New Delhi. She may be away until the 25th. She goes to New Delhi where she meets with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who tenders a luncheon and President [Varahagiri Venkata] and Mrs. [Saraswati] Giri. Then to Iran where she stays up to the 16th on to London where she visits the children. To the U.S. to see President [Richard] Nixon to reconfirm Nixon’s assurance that they would not intervene on any internal matter which may lead to martial law (Ambassador [Henry] Byroade had said they would support me stating farther that this assurance came from Pres. Nixon) I do not want any Ngo Dinh Diem plots by the CIA [Central Intelligence Agency].
For even our Nica [National Intelligence Coordinating Agency] and the local police (Maj. [Felicisimo] Lazaro of MPD [Manila Police District] receives $1,000 a month for instance) are infiltrated and financed by CIA.
I am now working on the problem.
I talked to Don Manolo Elizalde to convince [Andres] Andy Soriano [Jr.] and other businessmen to support an openly anti-communist newspaper. He was agreeable inasmuch as none of the present newspapers are willing to fight communism frontally.
After Imelda left and I returned to the palace I
Checked with Gen. [Fabian] Ver the deficiencies of our internal security inside the palace. We must find out who is monitoring my movements.
Worked on the plans for setting up shipbuilding facilities.
Dictated the outline for the new book for the establishment of a framework for the research on legislation, policies and projects.
It will include not only a study of the coming age of pluralization from the fast fading age of polarization as well as the prospects of Japan rearming, Russia coming into Asia, resulting in the four powers of China, USA, Russia and Japan vying for dominance—dictating the need for a neutralization of Southeast Asia guaranteed by the super-powers.
Then studies on land reform.
The failures of collectivism in Russia, China and its success in the kibbutz in Israel.
The welfare state.
Gunnar Myrdal’s incomplete studies on the failure of the land reform program in India.
Cuba’s failure according to [Fidel] Castro.
And the distortion of news by the visual media or the press—
And a critique of the policies of the super powers.
[1] Official Gazette for October 8, 1971: R acting to a wire dispatch from Cairo quoting President Moammer El-Kahdafi as saying that Libya would be forced to “ assume its responsibilities ” if the “ extermination campaign ” supposedly being mounted against Muslims in the Philippines continues, President Marcos directed the Department of Foreign Affairs to verify the exact text of the Libyan President ’ s statement. The President likewise ordered the DFA to use all its facilities abroad to clarify reports about the situation in Muslim areas in the country. He expressed concern over the manner the real situation in the Muslim areas in the Philippines had been misreported in the foreign media, especially in Muslim countries. A few days earlier, the President had occasion to stress that the fights between Muslims and Christians in the South were feuds and vendettas which had existed in Mindanao since time immemorial. But then he said the government was able to come between the two groups. The President further said that the people who had been complaining about “ genocide ” did not seem to understand what the term means. They also had been falsifying and distorting stories to make it appear that the government troops were the ones killing the Muslims, he added. Except for the video-taping of a television interview in his study shortly before noon, the President otherwise had a quiet but busy day going over state papers. In the course of his desk work, the President signed a proclamation declaring October 9, Saturday, a special public holiday to give unregistered voters the opportunity to register, and thus enable them to exercise their right of suffrage in the November elections. October 9 is the last day for registration of voters, as provided in Republic Act No. 6388, otherwise known as the Election Code of 1971.
[2] Official Gazette for October 9, 1971: P resident Marcos led well-wishers in seeing off the First Lady, Imelda R. Marcos, who left early in the evening on a combined diplomatic-cultural mission to Iran. The First Lady took a Qantas Fokker plane which took off from the Manila International Airport at 6 :30 p.m. In addition to attending the 2,500th anniversary of the founding of the Iranian dynasty under Cyrus the Great, Mrs. Marcos was scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Indira Gandhi of India, during which she would pursue discussions on the establishment of the Asian Cultural Association which she had earlier proposed, and would want to be organized as soon as possible. Shortly before boarding the plane, the First Lady said that she had been asked by the President to undertake the mission to attend the Iranian anniversary rites. “ On this important occasion in Iran ’ s history, ” the First Lady said, “ we are called upon, not only by our existing formal ties but also by the special bond existing between that country and our Muslim brothers in the South, to make a genuine expression of amity and goodwill. ” At the “ Meet the Press ” television interview later in the evening, the President said that in-depth studies were being made on all military and economic agreements of the Philippines with the United States so as to determine “ our own intentions and our own national interest ” on these matters. Covered by such studies, he said, were such questions as: 1. Are the U.S. bases necessary? 2. How much longer they should stay? 3. Should they not be taken over by Filipinos, and if so, when and how? The President was tied down to his desk most of the morning and afternoon because of the pressure of paper work.