Journal. [1966]

new strain of anophales mosquito now able to survive where this insect
could not survive before.
Some 3000 Indonesian students sack the Subandrio offices in the
8th straight day of demonstrations in defiance of the Sukarno order.
A Malaysian spokesman states Sukaino is trying to call a Manila
summit meeting in an attempt to delay Philippine recognition of Malaysia.
Mar. 7 - The President meets with the Mutual Defense Board,
an agency for the implementation the US-RP Mutual Defense Treaty,
which briefs him on the present defense set up; he is reported to have
expressed his satisfaction. The President directs th:at all Philippine
officials leaving for or returning from abroad, be subjected to customs
inspection even if they hold diplomatic or special passports.
The President states there is nothing definite about bringing Sukarno and Rahman together in Manila. Ramos states he has received
word from the Jakarta Embassy that Sukarno is "very uncertain"
about coming to Manila.
The US astronauts leave Manila for Australia after a 2-day visit
here.
Abra Vice-Governor Conrado Berona and two others are killed
and 5 others are wounded in an ambush by from 8 to 12 men, 15 kilometers north of Bangued.
Lt. Col. Untung is sentenced to death by a Jakarta military court.
Radio Jakarta states there is little hope for peace unless Rahman "receives different instructions from London", describing him as having
a "non-Asian mentality".
Mar. 8-The President signs the Rice and Corn Bill, amending
R.A. 3452, fixing the Rice and Corn Administration floor palay buying
price at P16 a cavan and of corn at P13, with no ceiling price, and the
selling price of rice at from P1.00 to P1.40 a ganta and corn grits at
P0.40 to P0.80, and corn grain at P0.30 a kilo; the act also provides
for a system under which farmers may deposit their palay in bonded
warehouses and receive "qued.ans" or receipts which they can cash.
The President receives Vice-Adm. John J. Hyland, US 7th fleet
commander.
The President certifies the NAWASA strike, begun yesterday, to
the Court of Industrial Relations.
The foreign affairs spokesman states Malaysian Ambassadordesignate Abdul Harim bin Haji Jumai has been accepted as envoy to
the Philippines and that Malaysia has agreed to accept designate
Romero Busuego.
Sen. Gaudencio Antonino returns from a 4-day visit to S Vietnam
and tells newsmen that it is misleading to say that the engineer battalion
would be sent to a "secured" area as there are no such areas in the
country.
Morfe returns the records of the Laurel case to Geronimo for a
second time after the latter had told him rules of court do not require
literal compliance with the provision Morfe cited.
Some 1500 students stage a peaceful rally before the Rizal Monument on the Luneta to protest against Sukarno's anti-student measures
after Manila Mayor Antonio Villegas refused to permit a demonstration before the Indonesian Embassy.
Sukarno states rightist forces are trying to overthrow him and
that the students don't know what they are doing. Radio Jakarta
reports a Sukarno speech at a Women's Day rally in which he stated
he would hold no talks with the Kuala Lumpur government as lorg as
the "puppet state" of Malaysia exists and also attacked the US for its
aggression in Vietnam; following the rally students demonstrate in front
of the US Embassy and break some windows while another group seizes
the Subandrio foreign ministry building and set fire to desks, chaiss,
and records.
Mar. 9 - The President receives S Vietnam Ambas. Than Dang
Lan. He also receives the newly elected officers and directors of the
American chamber of the Philippines who paid him a courtesy call.
Foreign affairs sources state word has been received from Jakarta
saying that "soundings" indicate Sukarno can not leave Jakarta at
this time.
Customs authorities seize P1 million worth of cloth, radios, mahjong sets, cigarets, etc. concealed in 3 large steel beams shipped from
Hongkong.
Villegas directs the City Treasurer to cancel the contract with
Makati Northern Motors for 100 new dump trucks, the firm having
refused to pay over P500,000 in duties, this resulting in the detention
of the trucks by the finance department.
The CIR orders the NAWASA strikers back to work after agreement is reached that the management will accept most of their demands
for wage differentials to be paid in instalments over a period of months.
Mrs. Elsie M. Gaches, president and general manager of H. E.
Heacock, Inc. dies in Manila.
Thousands of students hold a rally demanding the reinstatement
of Nasution and forceably occupy the education ministry building as
the police stand by; other students ransack the offices of the Chinese
Communist news agency and still others demonstrate before parliament.
Australia announces it will triple its forces in Vietnam from 1500
to 4500 men; "Australia can not stand aside in the struggle to resist the
aggressive threat of communism in Asia."
Mar. 10 -Te President approves the rules recommended by
Ramos governing travel of Filipino citizens to communist countries
'"plovided they can secure the necessary viE.s".
IS

Mar. 11 -The President flies by US Marine helicopter from
Manila to the USS Enterprise, nuclear-powered carrier, at Cubi
Point, Subic Bay, and later attends ceremonies at the naval base at
which Ambas. William McCormick Blair turns over to the Philippines
2 highspeed patrol boats, 50 feet long, speed 30 miles, for use in the
anti-smuggling campaign; the boats were received by Commodore
Felix Apolinario; with other high Filipino officials present the President
states the Philippines "will fight alongside with you in Vietnam and
wherever free men fight for freedom".
NAWASA files suit against Bonifacio Regalado and Rep. Olegario
Cantos (L, Batangas) for the annulment of the contract of sale of 82
hectares of land at P4 a square meter; the sale was allegedly recommended by Cantos when he was on the NAWASA board before his
election to Congress.
Sen. Maria Kalaw Katigbak heads a party of 13 government
personnel and newsmen leaving Manila for a 10 to 12-day visit to Communist China, via Hongkong; the party is traveling with the consent
of the Philippine government but at its own risk.
Reported from Singapore that Indonesian anti-communist generals
have given Sukarno an ultimatum to discharge Subandrio.
Ft ench sources in Paris state President Charles de Gaulle wants all
US and Canadian troops, planes, and bases out of France by the end
of the year, withdrawal of French officers from NATO within weeks,
withdrawal of French forces in Germany from NATO command this
year, and departure of NATO Supreme Allied Headquarters (SHAPE)
near Paris and the Central European Headquarters at Fontainbleau
within 3 years; he sent a letter to President Lyndon B. Johnson to this
effect.
Mar. 12 - The President confers with foreign affairs and PAF
officials on the developments in SE Asia, particularly Indonesia. In
the evening he and Tvirs. Marcos are honor guests at a dinner tendered
by the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association; the President
praises the armed forces as a "stabilizing force in Philippine institutions". During the day he received a telegram from former congressmen Manuel Cases and Angel Fernandez stating that "thousands of
people in La Union and Pangasinan are asking for a chance to enlist
voluntarily in the US Army for service in Vietnam".
Rep. Felix Amante (L, Negros Occ.) urges immediate termination
of the House committee he-carings as "leftist elements have converted
them into a mere sounding board for communist propaganda".
Morfe accepts the Laurel cases on agreement of both the prosecution and defense lawyers not to question his undertaking the trial.
After nearly 3 weeks of disorder in Jakarta, Sukarno, under strong
army pressure, turns over full political powers to Chief of Staff Lt. Gen.
Suharto, but keeps his title as "President-for life"; Suharto's first order
bans the PKI and its affiliates; Subandrio is reported to have fled in a
helicopter.
Disgruntled S Vietnamese students take over the radio stations
in 3 cities,-Hue, Hoi, and Da Nang, and broadcast demands for the
re-instatement of Maj. Gen. Nguyen Chanh Thi, ousted a few days
ago as commander of the 1st Vietnamese corps in the north by Premier
Nguyen Cao Ky.
French police forcibly evict 8 Nationalist Chinese diplomats,
members of the Taiwan mission to the UN Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization, from the Chinese Embassy building, and
turn it over to the 28-member staff of Communist China Ambas. Huang
Chen; the act comes some 2 years after de Gaulle opened diplomatic
relations with Communist China (February 27, 1964).
The American government calls US Ambas. to France Charles E.
Bohlen to Washington for consultations on the "NATO crisis".
Mar. 13 - The Manila Indonesian Embassy spokesman states
there is no truth in reports that Sukarno has abdicated and blames
"distorted" news dispatches, saying these are aimed at "negatively
influencing the good relations" between the Philippines and Indonesia.
"The Voice of Free Indonesia" reports that Subandrio has been
arrested and is confined to Merdeka palace, while Sukarno has left for
Bogor palace; the air force chief S.M. Herlambang and 20 or more
ministers have been arrested and are confined to their homes.
Reported from London that Britain has sent notes to its allies
asking them to reaffirm their support of NATO's integrated structure.
US Vice-President Hubert Humphrey states US policy toward
Communist China might be one of containment without necessarily
one of isolation. Sen. Joseph Tydings urges a review of US policy
toward China.
Mar. 14- The President receives the Iowa trade mission, headed
by State Governor Harold Hughes; the group was accompanied by
Blair and Balatbat.
A foreign affairs source states direct cable communications with
Jakarta have been cut off during the past 5 or 6 days.
Sen. Sergio Osmefia Jr., in a privileged-hour speech, urges sending
combat troops to S Vietnam.
Mar. 15- The President meets with members of the Senate on
the question of the ratification of the treaty of amity, commerce, and
navigation with Japan; present, too is Minority floor leader and former
Speaker Jose Laurel Jr. who headed the Philippine panel in the negotiations, and high foreign affairs and other officials.
Vice-President Fernando Lopez, chairman of the presidential
committee for the relief and rehabilitation of the Iloilo fire victims,
announces tliat contributions have reached close to P130,000.
THE JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMEFRC
90 April, 1966