Mr. Antonio Cuenco June 27, 1983
Personal/confidential
Dear Tony:
Enclosed are the statements I promised you. Please have at least the oral statement printed in full and have it circulated among our friends. If you can have the prepared statement printed so much the better because it gives the clear perspective to our problems. While you will note that I toned down the rhetoric—I was addressing the American audience—the substance is the same. I wanted to sound scholarly and at least objective.
Doy will flash the exact date of my arrival in Manila to you but for purposes of security we are reserving three dates (to confuse the enemy, so to speak). Doy will also brief you on our proposed preparations and I’ll appreciate your feedback.
Re the LP, I intend to call the national directorate to a meeting upon my return to authorize the calling of a national convention. I need your maximum support here and in so far as I am concerned, you are still a key LP in the Visayas. Once we have called a convention and have elected a new set of officers we can proceed to consider your previous proposal of merging the LP, PDP and LABAN. I’ll be doing this for you younger leaders because as I have told you, I intend to retire once democracy has been restored. Physically and financially, I am broken and I’ve had it. I merely want to leave you people a proper vehicle with which to lead our people to peace and prosperity.
If you think PDP-LABAN is the proper vehicle, I’ll have no objection but we must go through the motion of reconvening the national directorate and then call a national convention so that no one will complain with whatever decision the majority takes. I think we owe it to our colleagues in the LP to give them the final say.
I’ve taken your advice very seriously and you convinced me that the time has come for me to return. I only hope your instincts are good because spending another seven years and seven months in solitary isn’t really truly attractive a prospect. I’m sorry to hear about Nene P. but I suppose when I return I’ll be able to take away some of the heat from him. Meanwhile, my warmest regards to your family and my prayers for the speedy recovery of your father in law.
Sincerely,
Ninoy