I could not land in Vigan because of the rain that started early in Ilocos Sur although it was clear in Baguio. It started to rain in La Union at about 9:15 when we were at the airfield at San Fernando deciding whether to proceed to Vigan or not.
We took off from Loakan Airport at 8:45. It took us 15 minutes to get to San Fernando. I took the Fokker and Bongbong and Miguelito [Vazquez] took the PNB [Philippine National Bank] Kingair.
While waiting for the “Go” signal from our advance party at Vigan, we went to the Poro Point Resthouse and water skied in the rain. Then I took a nap.
The weather in Vigan turned bad. So we took and [sic] early lunch and came back to Baguio at 12:30. The road from Banang to Burgos is in bad need of repair. We arrived at 1:30 PM.
Although I had asked the Vigan conference not to come and see me anymore, they came all the way to Baguio, Chavit [Luis] Singson with Gen. [Felizardo] Tanabe in a U-17 (he says he saw a hole in the clouds at 1:30 PM and dived in. Tony [Antonio] Villanueva was landed in
Official Gazette for December 27, 1971: THE PRESIDENT met with leaders of the two warring factions in Ilocos Sur, headed by Acting Gov. Antonio Villanueva and Vincent. P. Crisologo, on one hand; and Governor-elect Luis Singson and his brother, Evaristo, mayor-elect of Vigan, on the other.
Meeting them at the guesthouse in Bagnio City, the President persuaded the said officials to surrender their followers who were wanted by the law.
He directed them to prepare their respective lists of followers and asked them to submit the same to Brig. Gen. Felizardo Tanabe, First PC Zone commander, who was also present at the meeting for verification with the warrants of arrest in the hands of the PC.
Crisologo and Singson assured the President that they will surrender their respective followers against whom warrants of arrest had been issued not later than January 15.
Earlier in the morning, the President flew to Vigan in order to preside over the scheduled meeting of incumbent and newly-elected officials of the province to ensure a smooth turn-over of authority on December 30.
However, because of inclement weather the President could not land in Vigan and instead landed at Poro Point from where he motored back to Baguio City. Upon arrival in the city, the President summoned the Ilocos Sur political leaders to the Pines City for the conference.
The political leaders arrived in the city later in the afternoon. They were accompanied by General Tanabe, Lt. Col. J. F. Cuaresma, PC provincial commander; and the following mayors of the province:
Benjamin Sanidad of Sto. Domingo, chairman of Ilocos Sur Mayors League Antonio Cabaldon of Caoayan, Porfirio Rapanut of Sta. Catalina, George Cabacungan of Sinait, Fely Quilala of San Juan, Juanito Tolentino of Magsingal, Juanito Langiten of Sugpon, Vice Mayor Pablo Arde of Vigan, and Mrs. Marciano Salibo, widow of the late mayor of San Emilio.
Also during the day, the President designated Undersecretary of Health Clemente Gatmaitan as officer-in-charge of the Department of Health.
The designation was issued by Assistant Executive Secretary Roberto V. Reyes on order of the President, in view of the sudden passing of Secretary Amadeo H. Cruz, who succumbed to a stroke the other day.
Lingayen and came by car to Baguio. Bingbong [Vicente] Crisologo same by car with mayors, vice mayors and councilors.
The Naguillian road above Burgos was enshrouded in thick clouds and fog. Bongbong who was trying to sleep commented wryly, “looks familiar.” It certainly did look like London.
Took a long nap till the conference arrived.
I asked them that:
- Each faction must prepare its list of wanted men charged in court and the other faction should surrender them for investigation and trial.
A “Shoot to Kill” order will be issued for those who do not surrender. - The local police will be screened by Polcon. Initially all PC [Philippine Constabulary] security detail (there are more than 80 men from the PC assigned as security detail of the politicians) will be withdrawn and 4 policemen per municipality will be armed.
- Both factions will agree to an economic development plan for the province.
- They will call their respective followers to a continuing series of conferences to prevent any farther bloodshed.
My worry is that the deteriorating peace and order condition will be taken advantage of by the communists. Both Jose Maria Sison and Victor Corpus are from Ilocos Sur.
As Gen. Tanabe states it, both factions are engaged in violence. And the supposed NPA [New People’s Army] raids on eight towns of the province were probably engineered by Tony Villanueva and Bingbong Crisologo.
But, definitely, the NPA’s have infiltrated the province but not to the degree claimed by Gov. Tony Villanueva.
We are going to start planting men in the barrios to join the NPA recruiters so that we may have ready intelligence assets.
We should not allow the Isabela takeover to be duplicated in Ilocos Sur.