The results of a few conversations with friends:

Laurel: Hans insists he's a good man — never pro Japanese but just pro-Filipino, though he hated Gov. General Wood. The Japanese want a copy of his speeches before he talks. It irks them that Laurel speaks extemporaneously. His Tagalog speeches are a marvel of self-deprecating informality.

Guerrillas: Edwin Ramsey is in Central Luzon; Bernard Anderson supersedes Russell Volckmann in the North; Terry (nom-de-guerre) is in Manila; and there's one Duque in Batangas (ex-pro-Japanese so not too well trusted). Mindoro guerrillas are said to be the best organized. Terry's aide, one Albert, participated in the second raid on Muntinglupa three weeks ago, freeing 168 political prisoners and taking a few Japanese guards with them. The guerrillas, aided by a Japanese-speaker, got in dressed as Kempeitai officers!

Blacklist: The underground magazine "Liberator," published by a graduate of Fort Santiago, has a list of names — each one equivalent to a death warrant perhaps, including Lily Raquiza, Carmen Planas, Amparo Karagdag, and Miguel Unson. Among others not on the list but being watched are the Bernards, Hilarion Silayan, and the Sanvictores brothers (it's said they made plenty of dough on match graft). Many rich rice hacenderos and sugar-barons spend their time plying between Baguio and Manila posing as saints because they'd be liquidated in their own provinces. Hans said any rich Filipino from the provinces wouldn't last long when the time comes, as all are practically usurers. Some 3,000 names are on the guerilla blacklist, and Manila is full of spies. One of these pretends to be a friend and watches me constantly at the Astoria, baiting me with false news. I've no proof, of course, but how can my instincts be wrong after six months of it?

Bombing: Seems the Constabulary Headquarters also had some munitions. The Binondo Church was left unprotected because Nakashima bribed the firemen with a sack of rice each to protect his office across the street from my Dad's. His excuse was that he had lots of chemicals (mostly drugs and rice). A pro-Nazi German living near Nagtahan grudgingly showed some admiration for the American flyers. Near his house, the Japanese mounted an antiaircraft gun on top of the unfinished concrete school building visible from the Santa Mesa Rotonda. As a formation of 12 American planes flew by, the last one suddenly peeled off, did a semicircle and dived on the building. Before he knew what happened, the gun and its crew were destroyed. "For sheer accuracy, it was unsurpassable," he said.

As the gabfest broke up, one member said this: "You know, there's a Jap in Manila who told a friend of mine: 'When the Americans come, they will take this in two weeks.'" We all said AMEN.

Radio Tokyo talked about the "vigorous war efforts of the 18 million Filipinos," then said, "tens of thousands" flocked to the Legislative Building for the Anniversary. Well, I heard it had been called off and that speeches would be made in Malacañan at 1700 instead, where gifts would be parceled out to the poor. Someone forgot to tell Radio Tokyo.

The Japanese zonified Malabon — all able-bodied men were rounded up and kept for three days without food, after which the most likely suspects, including some guerrillas and the Governor, were taken to Fort Santiago. Laurel kicked like hell and got the Governor released. Rumor is Parañaque is next, but the Japanese will find many of the ex-USAFFE men missing. Guerrillas in contact with MacArthur have called them up.

Results on the Formosa and North Luzon raids are preliminary and don't jibe in the details — big though: 525 Japanese planes destroyed against the loss of 53 American planes. Significant is the timing of U.S. communiqués — just before a Japanese raid — and the omission of certain details, from which I conclude that the Americans suffered some damage.