Reagan Asks Habib for ‘Firsthand Assessment’

WASHINGTON — President Reagan gave Ambassador Philip C. Habib instructions today before the veteran negotiator departs for the Philippines to get a “firsthand assessment” of the disputed election results.

Habib, whom Reagan named Tuesday as his special emissary to the 1,000-island Pacific nation, told reporters after the White House meeting that he will be leaving soon for Manila but he was not more specific.

An Administration source who demanded anonymity said Habib will leave for the Philippines “in the next couple of days.”

Deputy White House Press Secretary Edward Djerejian said Reagan met with Habib and other key advisers for about 10 minutes before the President left for a political stop in St. Louis en route to a brief vacation in California.

Among those on hand for the brief meeting were Secretary of State George P. Shultz, national security adviser John Poindexter, Sigur Gaston, assistant secretary of state-designate for East Asian Affairs, Paul Wolfowitz, ambassador-designate to Indonesia, and First Lady Nancy Reagan.

Philippine Ambassador Benjamin Romualdez, who is the brother-in-law of Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos, was also at the White House today, apparently to meet with Habib and other officials. However, there was no indication that he saw Reagan.