Gov. Ali Dimaporo of Lanao del Sur reports that he has had a conference, the other might, with Abulkayr Alonto, the MNLF [Moro National Liberation Front] Vice-Chairman. He was willing to join the government forces provided his uncle, Ex Sec. Domocao Alonto says so. The latter, contacted by USec. Carmelo Barbero, says he is willing to accompany USec. Barbero to meet with Abulkayr.
I am skeptical. They (the Alontos) are a slippery and deceitful clan.
So I have instructed USec. Barbero and Ali to first negotiate the surrender of the Alonto supporters, strip the Alonto’s naked of any appreciable armed followers, then negotiate with the Alontos.
Abulkayr was willing to negotiate through his uncle only when Ali told him that if he did not surrender Ali would be forced to uphold the law and go after him with all the forces at his command.
The Alontos want to have Domocao appointed as Supreme Court Justice and an Alonto as Governor of Lanao del Sur. Pure and simple blackmail.
The sugar contracts are causing confusion to the sugar brokers of the world. I attach a cabled report on the Asahi Evening News. By H. J. Maidenburg, the New York Times Service.
Sto. Domingo which has a big surplus of sugar is desperate wants us to stop any more deals of this nature. I have wired Pres. [Joaquin] Balaguer of that country that we have the right of recission of the contract if the participation of the Philippines is less than the world market price and/or it is less than a price set in the contract which is above our cost of production.
Official Gazette for April 10, 1976: THE PRESIDENT cited the significance of Bataan in Philippine history-that it was the first battle that really welded together the Filipino nation. It was at Mt. Samat, the President said, that some 5,000 soldiers died in a last ditch stand before the peninsula finally fell into the hands of the enemy.
SUPREME Court released the list of 903 circuitized courts and the names of municipal judges retained and assigned to preside over them. Chief Justice Fred Ruiz Castro said that of the original 1,090 municipal judges in the country, only 860 will be retained.
CENTRAL Bank Governor Gregorio Licaros reported to the President that the country’s economy after the first quarter of 1976 is now definitely on the recovery trend and the outlook for the major exports now appears much brighter than anticipated.