Monseñor [Gerard] Mongeau of Cotabato, Com. [Raoul] Beloso of the Small Farmers Commission and Com. Mama Sinsuat all confirm the fact that the violence in North Cotabato is open rebellion by the armed elements of the Moslem Independence Movement and not just a conflict of political factions or a fight over land. It is a secessionist movement to set up an independent Moslem state.
And it is probable that there are Malaysian provocateurs or Sabahan agents.
They repeated these in a TV interview this afternoon at 5:00 PM. During the interview, I talked to Gen. Tutaan who confirmed that four PC [Philippine Constabulary] companies have surrounded the triangle of Pikit, Pagalungan and Midsayap but not taking any aggressive action.
Official Gazette for February 26, 1971: President Marcos conferred with Director of Forestry Jose Viado and Director of Mines Fernando Busuego, Jr. on the progress of priority projects being undertaken by their respective bureaus. Director Viado presented to the President a vegetative map of the Philippines delimiting the areas for forest reserves, national parks, principal logging concessions, commercial forests, alienable and disposable lands which were given priority in the budget proposals submitted by the President to Congress. In land classification, priorities were given to reservations for native settlers and cultural minorities, while in land subdivision, preferences were given to actual occupants or tillers. Director Busuego, on the other hand, reported that the delay in the issuance of permits for oil exploration was due to the failure of many applicants to meet standard policy requirements.
The President has ordered expeditious action on pending permits, and laid down the policy that only applicants who are technically and financially competent should be given licenses for oil explorations. Also at the conference were Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources Arturo R. Tanco, Jr. and Antonio Quejado, presidential assistant on forest matters.
Earlier in the morning, the President conferred with U.S. Ambassador Henry Byroade. Then the President received Rep. Jiew Jow Leou of Nationalist China who presented him with a maple sculpture of the “god of good luck which, he said, was a sample of one of the native handicraft in Taiwan. Later, the President inducted the newly elected officers of the Philippine Automotive Association headed by Anthony Lee.
In the afternoon, he conferred with government officials and religious leaders who came from Cotabato on their assessment of the peace and order situation in the province. Present at the conference were Secretary of National Defense Juan Ponce Enrile, Brig. Gen. Eduardo Garcia, PC chief; Commissioner of National Integration Mama Sinsuat, Commissioner of Small Settlers Raoul Beloso, Bishop Gerard Mongeau of Cotabato City, and members of the mass media.
The President also issued an Executive Order creating The Order of Kalantiao award to be given to any citizen of the Philippines for exceptional and meritorious services in the administration of justice and in the field of law. The Order of Kalantiao is divided into four ranks, as follows:
1. First Class—for extraordinary services and high standards of performance in the judicial branch of government, notably in the Supreme Court, or in the field of international law;
2. Second Class—for exceptionally meritorious services in the judicial and other branches of government;
3. Third Class—for outstanding services in the administration of justice in the government;
4. Fourth Class—for excellent services in the enhancement of the rule of law and high degree of professionalism and integrity in private law practice.
In his Executive Order creating the decoration, the President also said that the Order of Kalantiao may also be awarded posthumously to any person entitled thereto, in which case it shall be received by his legal heirs or nearest kin.
And anyway, the black-shirted Muslims have gone back to peaceful pursuits, hidden their guns (some burying them).
And Udtog Matalam is crying and squealing against the PC. He probably feels his losses of 27 men definitely dead in the fire fight on Friday (a week ago) from several M-79 grenades.
I attach note of PC Chief, Gen. Eduardo] Garcia.
Ambassador [Henry] Byroade is deeply worried about the piracy and theft (including that of firearms and ammunition) in Subic Base.
I attach his notes of incidents in the base.
I also took up with him the U.S. GAO [Government Accountability Office] teams report and the distribution of reinforced school houses. I attach the note of Sec. [Alejandro] Melchor [Jr.] on these.
Also met with Sec. [Arturo] Tanco [Jr.] and Dir. [Fernando] Busuego on the standards for the grant of petroleum concessions.
Reviewed the forest regulations and got the map of concessions and their location.