Foreign Relations of the United States, 1958–1960, South and Southeast Asia, Volume XV

441. Memorandum of a Conversation, Manila, October 6, 1959¹

Manila, October 6, 1959

PARTICIPANTS

• Mr. Rodrigo Perez, Grand Alliance Campaign Manager
• Mr. John Mcjennett, Political Officer
• Mr. Paul Kittredge, Political Officer
• Mr. Carl McMillan, Political Officer

In a discussion this afternoon Mr. Perez, who is in charge of the Grand Alliance national campaign headquarters in Manila, weighed the chances of his group in the coming elections. He stressed the broad appeal of the Alliance candidates and the popular response they had been getting in the provinces (with individuals frequently pressing small campaign contributions upon the candidates), but admitted that their major weakness was the lack of a strong local organization to translate this popular impact into political action. He said that while visiting a party locality the Grand Alliance candidates would establish the framework of an organization, but that frequently their men would later be bought off by either one of the major parties. He said that the Grand Alliance was running its own candidates in only six provincial races but was supporting other party candidates elsewhere, and mentioned party support for Liberal gubernatorial candidates in Pangasinan and Laguna. When asked to assess the relative strengths of the Alliance candidates, he listed them in the following order: first, Pelacs, who he admitted is supported in many areas by local candidates of other parties, second, Manahan, then Manglapus and Vargas.² He said that he believed that Vargas was picking up strength and that his major asset was the support of veterans throughout the country, perhaps numbering as many as 500,000 voters.

Perez listed the principal Nacionalista strong points as an established national organization, unlimited funds and absolute ruthless-ness in their pursuit of political goals. He noted, however, that the Nacionalistas lacked unity and that the three principal NP candidates, Lopez, Rodriguez and Pajo³ (all three contenders for the Senate presidency in the next session) were running independently, none supporting the other two.

On the role of the Catholic Church in the elections, Perez stressed that Church support varies widely according to region. He said that parish priests are most open in their oppositionist political activities in Cebu and Bohol. In the Bicol region the Archbishop is a Macapagal supporter; while the Archbishop of Manila has opposed Church political (i.e., oppositionist) action. The Archbishop in Iloilo is the brother of Liberal senatorial candidate Cuenco.⁴

Perez, a former Elections Commissioner, admitted that the incumbent members of the Commission on Elections are NP supporters and that therefore the Commission could not be relied upon to play an impartial role in the elections. In discussing the particular importance of sample ballots in an election in which so many candidates are taking part, Perez said that the Grand Alliance had printed more than 20,000,000 sample ballots (Pajo alone has printed more than 30,000,000), had sent out its first wave, and planned several more waves before election day. He mentioned the final saturation, during the crucial last ten days of the campaign, as the most important. He said the problem for the Alliance was, because of its organizational weakness on the local level, to ensure proper distribution of its sample ballots.

1. Source: Department of State, SPA Files: Lot 64 D 391, P–20, 1959 and 1961 Elections. Confidential. Drafted by McMillan.
2. Manuel P. Manahan, leader of the Progressive Party and a close associate of former President Magsaysay; Raul Manglapus, former Under Secretary of Foreign Affairs; and Jesus Vargas, Secretary of National Defense, March 1958–May 1959.
3. Fernando Lopez; Eulogio Rodriguez, a member of the Nationalist Party; and Juan Pajo, Executive Secretary to Garcia.
4. Mariano Cuenco.