1st MIG and Gen. [Tranquilino] Paranis report that witnesses now in the custody of the military testify to the fact that it took two days for them (some were forced to act as cargadores) unload the Karagatan; the estimated number of firearms—3,500, the ammo filled up a room 7×7 meters; the crew of vessel included two Chinese.
I have sent the media personnel to Palanan to cover the operations.
Confirmed casualties of government troops: three non-com’s and one enlisted man.
Enemy strength estimated at 400.
Our troops are pressing them from all sides. But the NPA’s [New People’s Army] seem to tenaciously cling to their entrenched position contrary to the guerrilla rule of never holding ground. They have been bombarded from the air and the sea again.
It is my feeling that they are waiting for their recruits to come in and carry out the firearms and ammo. The 300 men sighted coming from the direction of Ilagan crossing the high mountains may be such cargadores they are waiting for.
I have ordered mortars to be employed. The witnesses also refer to a cave where the NPA’s may be concealed with their supplies I have ordered a search for the cave.
And to block all routes of withdrawal. The personalities caught in the pocket are many and high ranking.
I attach all reports on the Palanan operations.
THE PRESIDENT met with the National Disaster Relief and Rehabilitation Committee at the Pangarap Guest House.
Following the conference, the President proclaimed the entire island of Luzon as under a state of calamity. (See pp. 5718-A 5718-C for full text of the President’s proclamation.)
The President also called the leaders of both Houses of Congress to a conference at Malacañang, as well as urged Congress to pass a special calamity bill appropriating P250 million for relief and rehabilitation during the special session.
Present at the conference were Executive Secretary Alejandro Melchor, Jr. and Assistant Executive Secretary Roberto V. Reyes, Public Works Secretary David M. Consunji, Social Welfare Secretary Estefania Aldaba-Lim, Health Secretary. Clemente Gatmaitan, Deputy Budget Commissioner Juan Agcaoili, Public Highways Commissioner Baltazar Aquino, Finance Undersecretary Pedro Almaiizor, Public Works Director Alejandro Deleña, Director Carlos Leaño of the Infrastructure Operations Center, Col. Tapia of the NDCC, and others.
The President spent the rest of the day keeping close tabs on developments in the flooded areas and working on state papers in his private study.
Declared the whole island of Luzon as a disaster area as all the national highways are under water and the report of damage from Typhoon Konsing, Edeng and now Gloring keep pouring in.
The reaction teams of the Dept. of Public Works have to keep transportation and communications moving.
I have prepared at P250 million Calamity bill for Congress which I will take up with the leaders in a luncheon conference tomorrow.
Imee arrived from London at 10:15 PM, more than three hours delayed. Foreign Minister [Adam] Malik of Indonesia and Pote Sarasin from Thailand arrived in the same plane for the Asean [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] Foreign Ministers’ conference.