Marcos calls elections in futile effort to save Philippine regime

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Nov. 2 conference highlights. See FORUM, pp. 9-12 Bending to strong pressure from the United States, Philippine President Ferdin -and Marcos recently announced presidential elections to take place on Jan. 17, 1986.

Marcos' call followed an Oct. 19-22 visit from Reagan emissary Sen. Paul Laxalt and the Oct. 30 Senate Foreign Relations Committee testimony of Assistant Sec -retary of Defense Richard Armitage and Assistant Secretary of State Paul Wolfowitz.

The two officials stated that without re -forms in the political, military, and eco -nomic structure of the country, the Phili -ppines could fall to the Communist Party led New People's Army within three years.

The U.S. government backed up these vocal warnings to Manila by stalling pay -ment by the International Monetary Fund of $453 million in loans barring moves toward reform. At the same time, an edi -torial in The New York Times invited an "enlightened military" to take charge of the country.

On Nov. 12, Wolfowitz responded to Marcos' election call, telling the Senate committee that unless the Jan. 17 poll was "credible," it would only further undermine the regime. This is especially so since the voting will come on the heels of the expected exoneration of Marcos associate and former Philippine Army Chief of Staff Fabian Ver and other high military officials for the August 1983 assassination of prominent oppositionist Benigno Aquino.

Complying with Washington's directive, Marcos on Nov. 15 put off the election until mid-February. Four days later, the IMF released the previously stalled loan.

The Reagan administration's actions derscore the turn in U.S. fol eign away from a dictator who, in 1981, was (continued on page 17, in “Mexico still on shaky ground with bank debt”)

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ACTioN SociAlist Closing news date: November 24, 1985