A Call for Fairness

By Salvador Laurel

Salvador ("Doy") Laurel, 56, discussed Philippine election prospects with TIME editors in New York City last week. Excerpts:

ON MARCOS' ANNOUNCEMENT. We favor a snap election. But the elections must be free and fair. That's all we want.

ON THE OPPOSITION'S DEMANDS. We want a revamping of the commission on elections. Of the seven members, only one is independent-minded. The remaining six are 1,000% blindly loyal to Mr. Marcos. We would also like to make sure that the military is neutral in this election.

We would like access to the media. We don't have a free press the way you know it in the U.S. Most of the established newspapers and television and radio stations are owned or controlled by Marcos. Also we would like a reasonable campaign period. The Jan. 17 deadline is definitely not enough for a presidential campaign. We need 90 days.

ON WHETHER THOSE DEMANDS WILL BE MET. I think it all depends on how effective the pressure is on Marcos. I call it P.F.C.: Pressure First Class. Now if that is continued, I think it could bring about some changes. I am inclined to believe that the letter that Reagan sent through Laxalt was the catalyst that made Marcos do what he just did.

ON CHARGES THAT THE U.S. IS "MEDDLING" IN PHILIPPINE AFFAIRS. If you do not support [Marcos], you are not meddling. If you continue to support a regime that is unwanted, that is a form of meddling. Our point is: we are in effect asking you not to interfere by not supporting a dictator who uses your aid to suppress his people.

ON THE POSSIBLE EFFECTS OF AN UNFAIR ELECTION. If the elections are not free and fair, it could explode into violence and widespread radicalization of the people. You may have a civil war comparable to what happened in Nicaragua, where the moderates became irrelevant, participation in the electoral process became impossible, and the left exploited the situation ... I think the violation of the sanctity of the ballot would be sufficient justification for resort to arms.

ON OPPOSITION UNITY. The four major political parties will nominate their respective candidates and afterward will submit themselves to a larger [opposition] convention. Whatever the outcome, we will all abide by it.

ON A POSSIBLE BOYCOTT. We are not going to boycott the election, even if we know it is going to be dirty. The people want a chance to participate. Whether it's dirty or clean, they want a chance to defend their ballot.

ON THE COMMUNIST INSURGENCY. The first objective of the opposition is to dismantle the dictatorship and restore democracy. If we win the election, that will have been achieved. Then we will attack the peace-and-order problem. We believe that given a democratic system and a credible leadership, if we issue a general amnesty to all political offenders, 90% will lay down their arms because we believe 90% of the people who have joined the New People's Army are not Communists. They are just disgusted with the Marcos regime.

We will offer the remaining 10% a plural society. If they disavow the use of force and violence, if they forswear the use of guns and agree to disband the N.P.A., there is no reason why they shouldn't be allowed to join the political mainstream. If they resist, they will have declared themselves as public enemies, but they will be easier to subdue.

ON THE U.S. MILITARY INSTALLATIONS. The bases agreement will expire in 1991. A new agreement will be negotiated and will have to be submitted to the people for approval. The way the Filipino people will vote will depend on the moves the U.S. makes during this crisis. If a lot of good results from the U.S. policies and decisions, the Filipino people will remember that and will vote positively when the issue is raised.