News In Brief
| Manila
Opposition leaders reject Marcos's election plan
Philippine opposition leaders Sunday rejected an invitation to take part in preparations for next year's parliamentary elections. They said they would boycott the polls if President Ferdinand Marcos stayed in power. Former Senator Jose Diokno said that an offer made Saturday by Mr. Marcos to his rivals to take part in a review of electoral rules was a trap.
On Friday, Marcos announced he had set up a new inquiry into the assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino. The fact-finding board replaces the original commission of inquiry whose members resigned last Monday to make way for a new probe.
Also, the Philippines was granted a 90-day suspension of debt principal repayments owed to banks while it works out its financing needs for 1983 and 1984. The nation's foreign debt is $18 billion.
