U.S. URGING A 'CREDIBLE' PHILIPPINE VOTE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00552R000303540006-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 26, 2010
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: November 5, 1985
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2010/07/26: CIA-RDP90-00552R000303540006-2
U.S. Urging a 'Credible ' Philippine Vote
By GERALD M. BOYD
Special to n w New York Tlmw
WASHINGTON, Nov. 4 - The Rea-
gan Administration today called on
President Ferdinand E. Marcos to con-
duct the proposed early presidential
elections in the Philippines in a "cred-
ible and fair" fashion, with "broadly
based" citizen participation.
Officials said today that the Adminis-
tration statements were designed to
convey its concern that the quality of
the elections be such that they not
backfire and prompt widening unrest
in the Philippines instead of increased
democracy.
In raising that possibility, the offi-
cials and some Congressional experts
said they were concerned that Mr.
Marcos was seeking the elections be.
fore the opposition could adequately
unite and mobilize to conduct a cam-
paign. -A Silly Claim'
Mr. Marcos said Sunday that he in-
tended to call for an election to settle
what he called "a silly claim" that his
Government is inept. He said the elec-
tion would be held on Jan. 17, the anni-
versary of the lifting of martial law in
1981.
The announcement, which Mr. Mar-
cos made on the ABC News program
"This Week," caught the Administra-
tion by surprise, officials said.
An aide to Senator Paul Laxalt, Re-
publican of Nevada, said the Senator
was in a visit to Manila on behalf of Mr.
Reagan two weeks ago that Mr. Mar-
cos would adhere to a schedule that
called for local elections in May 1986
and presidential elections a year later.
At that time, according to the offi-
cial, Mr. Marcos said moving up the
timetable would be too costly and
would detract from plans to improve
the country's economic situation.
Although the Administration greeted
Mr. Marcos's change of plans with cau-
tion, officials said it was important that
the elections have credibility to pre-
vent any widening of internal strife.
"Elections in the Philippines must be
-based on credible, fair and broadly
based in terms of participation," said
Larry Speakes, the White House
spokesman.
Concern About Credibility
Similarly, Charles E. Redman, a
State Department spokesman, said the
chief concern of the United States was
not when the elections would be held,
but whether they would be credible.
concern is that they be free and fair,"
he said. "If elections are to re-establish
competence, as President Marcos has
credible to the Philippine people, in-
cluding satisfactory answers to consti-
tutional questions."
electoral process required that the Phi-
lippine military conduct itself "in a
professional manner during such elec-
tions."
pendent citizen's election monitoring
organization are essential."_
lectcommittee on me con-
cluded that opposition parties would be
at a d1sa ante a una"snap" elec-
tion because it could ve difficult in-
in ui) behind a candidate. Although the
opposition to Mr. Marc os was signifi-
cant, the report said, it remained ques-
major presidential candidate when the
chips are down."
Representative Stephen J. Solarz,
Democrat of Brooklyn, the chairman of
the House Subcommittee on Asian and
Pacific Affairs, said the election car-
ried the potential of further "polariz-
ing" the situation in the Philippines.
"If the election is tree and fair," he
said, "it could reverse the drift toward
Communism. But if it is not genuinely
honest, it could very easily boomerang.
This is a very high stakes game."
The aide to Mr. Laxalt said the Sena-
tor regarded the Marcos announce-
ment as "an exciting and positive
development."
The aide said that in a meeting be-
tween Mr. Laxalt and Mr. Marcos two
weeks ago in Manila, the Philippine
President ruled out any possibility of
an early election. But he said Mr. Mar-
cos had discussed such a move in a tele-
phone conversation with Mr. Laxalt on
Friday.
Approved For Release 2010/07/26: CIA-RDP90-00552R000303540006-2