News In Brief

Mrs. Marcos says Aquino was urged to delay return

Imelda Marcos, wife of the Philippine President, said Monday she had begged and pleaded with opposition leader Benigno Aquino to defer his return home from exile because of threats to his life. Mr. Aquino was murdered at Manila Airport on Aug. 21.

Mrs. Marcos, in an unannounced visit to the commission investigating the murder, said she spent three hours with Mr. Aquino in New York in May of last year in a bid to persuade him not to return.

She denied as ''pure fabrication'' a Newsweek magazine report quoting her as having warned Aquino against returning because he might be harmed by ''people loyal to us (the Marcoses) who cannot be controlled.''

Only a few more witnesses are left, and the panel hopes to make its report before the anniversary of Aquino's killing.