In 2002 Mr. Randoll Coate was kind enough to write me describing his brief encounter with Polk that has been the origin of some much inaccurate speculation.

"I had finished my time at the British Consulate as Press Officer in 1948, and was due to leave for Oslo. I was clearing my papers late one afternoon when a young American journalist, George Polk, suddenly burst into my office without an appointment. He appeared to think that I had information on the ways and means of reaching General Marcos whom he wished to interview. I assured him that I had no such information and warned him that it would be an extremely dangerous undertaking. I urged him to seek advice from competent sources beginning with his own country's Consulate. Seeing that he was determined to pursue his objective I advised him for the last time to reconsider. Wasted words - disappointment, he got up and left hurriedly. The whole visit cannot have lasted more than 10 minutes. Subsequently, I was relieved to hear that he did go to his own Consulate after he left me. His compatriots were evidently no more successful than I to stop him."