On January 22, I have had the unhappy privilege of seeing my predictions come true over the Paracel and Spratly Island groups. I had briefed Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew of the possibility that the Red Chinese would fight over the Paracel as well as the Spratlys inasmuch as they had openly stated in the United Nations and in forceful public statements by their Minister of Foreign Affairs that these Islands belong to them and was a part of their territory. And on the 19th and 20th, The Red China sank two South Vietnamese armed vessels and overwhelmed the South Vietnamese ground troops numbering about 40 men in one of Island gaining complete control of the Paracel Islands group.
Apparently, as a consolation for their loss of the Paracels, the South Vietnamese sent a task force of four destroyers and one LST [Landing Ship, Tank] to Kalayaan which is the group of island actually about 200 miles northeast of the Spratly Island group five of which have been occupied by our troops, namely PAG-ASA Island, Kota Island, Likas Island and Parola Island. This was on February 1st, 1974. The South Vietnamese troops were reported to have landed in two unidentified islands, one of them Pugad Island and set up a tent or two and raised the South Vietnamese flag.
Since the Secretary of Foreign Affairs was not doing anything about it, I called a meeting on Monday, February 4 with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Justice as well as the Coast and Geodetic Survey and the Solicitor General’s Office. Also invited to attend the meeting was Senator Arturo Tolentino, now Ambassador and Chairman of our delegation to the Convention of Laws of the Seas. I directed that a protest, not verbal, be sent to both the Nationalist China and South Vietnam, but the Secretary of Foreign Affairs insisted that the islands that we have occupied in Kalayaan are not a part of the Spratlys inasmuch as they are 200 miles northeast of the Spratly Islands and that we have acquired them by occupancy and effective administration.
I attach the reports on the controversy.
It is my intention to press a call to a peaceful conference among the three countries of Nationalist China, South Vietnam and the Philippines to settle the matter peacefully.
However, Red China has announced that it will defend it to enforce its ownership and sovereignty over both Paracel and Spratly Islands. This complicated matters and it also emphasizes the need for an Asian Forum which could settle controversies which might bring about tensions, if not outright war in Asia. I can foresee that if oil is discovered in Sulu and in the environs of Spratly Islands or the Paracels, it will become the area of combat between the nations claiming these islands. Inasmuch as Red China may not have any blue water navy within the
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No Official Gazette entry for this day.
next five years, it may stick to the Paracels.
But this does not, however, mean that it will not ultimately make an effort to retain control of or to obtain control of the Spratly Islands. Without the intervention of the United States which has declared that it has no intention of intervening in the conflict about the Paracels (and it is to be presumed that this will be the policy also adopted in the Spratlys unless new factors come into problem) then, in all probability Red China will be able to enforce its control over the paracels and ultimately over the Spratlys.
As I see it, therefore, inasmuch as the Philippine Government has issued oil concessions and licenses to the Seafront Oil Company and to MARSTEEL, the last concession being actually on Freedomland or Kalayaan, it will be necessary to now clarify the American participation in these concessions. I have asked Alfonso Yuchengco of Seafront Oil Company and the MARSTEEL brothers through Rudy of MARSTEEL to inform our Government as to the name and share of their American partners in this oil concession, its exploration and exploitation.
If American oil interest should have any participation in the oil exploration and exploitation in Kalayaan, this may bring about an American Governmental intervention to protect the rights of these American citizens.
I also attach the events that have occurred in the last week, up to February 3 as found in the newspapers.
I also attach reports on the Sulu situation. Jolo town was burned down yesterday at about 5:00 P.M. The fire was stru1ed by the Maoist elements who had infiltrated the town under the leadership of the son of Mayor Burney Abubakar and 7 other Maoist leaders.
On February 7, at about 6:40 AM, a C-47 coming into landing at the Jolo airport was subjected to rifle fire as it was on its final approach. It sustained 18 bullet shots but was able to evade the enemy and return to Zamboanga. The SATAO headquarters of the Airforce in the Jolo airport was attacked, Seven of their men were killed and the entire headquarters was burnt. Two helicopters moving to support our ground operations were shot at and one of the pilots (Lt. Fernandez) was injured. The helicopter had to return to Camp Seit. The infiltrating Maoists had been brought into Jolo town by the policemen of Mayor Barley Abubakar and must have numbered anywhere from 200 to SOO men, although they must have had some sympathizers among the civilian population. The troops were in civiliru1 clothes when they first fired at them in the camp. The rebels immediately occupied the port area, Notre Dame and the part of the town around the house of Mayor Barley Abubakar, so much so that when the reserves, one of which was the 18th Infantry Battalion sought to land at the pier, they were fired upon by intense small arms fire causing them to withdraw and to go around to land at [Bosbostuling?] up with the other troops at the airport.
I ordered all the reserves to be rushed to Jolo town and encircle the rebels so as to prevent them from escape and then proceed to eliminate the pockets of rebel resistance. Yesterday, apparently realizing that they were in a desperate situation, specially when they learned of my order for all the local policemen to be disarmed and taken into custody as well as the apprehension of Mayor Barley Abubakar and the sympathizers of the rebels inside the town for protective custody and preventive detention, the rebels set the town on fire to cover their withdrawal which they succeeded in executing last night following a route of withdrawal towards and possibly towards Batong Puti which is probably the site of their principal supply and ammunition dump. As early as 7:00 o’clock last night when the burning of Jolo town was reported to me, I directed Gen. Romeo Espino, the Chief of Staff, to notify all troops in the field that this was a diversion to cover some movements on the part of the rebels. It could either be an attack on one sensitive part of our defenses like the location of the bigger artillery guns 115 mm on attack on Camp Asturias or it could be merely a cover up for a general withdrawal towards safer ground by the rebels and then again it could be both.
It turned out to be a diversion to cover up their withdrawal.
My principal concern now is for the civilians in Jolo town. There must be no less than 100,000 civilians in the town which includes evacuees from other parts of Sulu and the other towns of Jolo Island proper. I directed that they be allowed to evacuate to Zamboanga and to the other islands that are safely under our control. About 2,500 have withdrawn to Pangasinan Island close to Jolo town and another 2,500 evacuees are now in Camp Asturias. The Camp should be evacuated of civilians in order that it may efficiently operate as a military force.
I therefore have ordered Col. Pacifico de Leon, Executive Director of the Coordinating Commission on Natural Calamities to immediately take steps towards extending help to the civilian evacuees.
These series of fighting started with the attack on Parang town by the Maoists with the support of some of the special policemen of Gov. [Murphy] Sangkula headed by a certain special policemen or provincial guard [Bantilan?]. It is also stated that the attack was also led by the Mayor of Parang himself, Mayor Percing Tatali, although the latter denied this to the Chief of Staff and others. The prospective father-in-law of Tupay Loong, the incumbent Vice Mayor of Parang, was killed; according to Tupay Loong, he was killed by the men of Mayor Percing Tutali.
The small PC [Philippine Constabulary] detachment in Parang was surrounded and pushed out of the PC command to the beach which they held in order that there might be beachhead for the arrival of the reinforcement. Simultaneously, a 17-man detachment of Constabulary at Pita apparently led by n Muslim stuff Sergeant, in collusion with the rebels, was surrounded by rebels and delivered over to them two 81 mm mortars and one recoilless rifle, 105 mm with plenty of ammunition.
These heavy armaments were then brought to Parang against the beleaguered constabulary soldiers who were still holding on until they were pushed out to the beach.
Tupi Lo-ong, one of the rebel leaders whose special area of operations is Parang had joined the PC re-enforcement with his men and extricated the Constabulary men fighting in the beach from being overwhelmed by the rebels.
I directed that the Chief of Staff, Gen. Espino, proceed to Sulu on Sunday before lunch February 3 (January 27) and prepare a counter-attack against the rebels throughout the entire island of Sulu.
I called in Gov. Sangkula, Congressman [Indanan] Anni and his wife, Mayor Anni of Siasi, who is also the sister of Gov. Snngkula, to Malacañang and told them that I wanted them to cooperate with the rebel leaders who had returned to the Government side and to employ his men in the operations that we were mounting against the Maoists. I also directed that he proceed to Zamboanga for I was ordering a conference to be held under the auspices of the Chief of Staff, Gen. Espino, wherein all the Mayors and the Military Commanders and rebel leaders would meet to agree and join hands in the operation against the Maoists who were coercing and intimidating the civilian population and to cooperate with them. They were taxing the civilian population to raise funds and occupying private lands with the threat that these lands could not be returned to their owners unless the owners cooperated with them in everything. It was estimated that the Maoists had gained strength, so much so that they could count on 2,000 armed men in the Island of Jolo alone.
Since the situation was becoming unmanageable and dangerous, it became necessary to eliminate the Maoists rebel group in Jolo once and for all.
They were receiving continuous supply of arms and ammunition from Sabah by [Yolyo Penta?] powered boats that could go as fast as 50 miles an hour on the sea, so that they could travel between Sulu and Sabah in an hour or two and finish their operations in the middle of the night.
About ten battalions were directed to mount the operations with the support of the Navy and the Airforce. The Constabulary had six PC battalions available for the attack.
I enclose the situation report of the Chief of Staff.
He held the conference on January 28 and all the conferees including Gov. Sangkula, Cong. Anni and all the Mayors swore on the Koran with the rebel returnees to support the efforts of the Government troops against the Maoists rebels.
Notwithstanding this, however, I have directed that we do not give complete trust to Gov. Sangkula and the Mayors and that the special policemen who were assigned to them and whom we were paying monthly salary of P120 in addition to supplying them P120 worth of supplies every month, as well as rifle and ammunitions be screened.
The screening of the special policemen of Gov. Sangkula showed that only 17 men were available and could be trusted to help in the operations. This was originally a force of more than 100 men. Apparently, all the others had escaped under the leadership of one of his guards, Bantilan, who led the attack on Parang.
The rebel returnees led by Tupi Lo-ong, Imam Maldiza, Bagis, Kusina Lo-ong, Jerula, Ali Abubakar and others have conducted themselves courageously and loyalty, supporting the operations of the government and in fact spearheading the attack ahead of the movement troops in some instances, like the attack on Bud Datu and Parana. The mopping up operations in Jolo town was led by Ali Abubakar and his men.
There is only one Mayor who had conducted himself courageously and that is the Mayor of lndanan. All the others do not have any men nor have they led or participate or support in the operations of the Government troops. Gov. Sangkula has stayed in Manila. although now that he has learned Jolo town has been burned, he wishes to proceed to Zamboanga to take care of the evacuees. The same is true with Congressman Anni and his wife, Mayor Anni.
The operations reduce all enemy installations in Jolo Island are proceeding in accordance with plans. Maimbung town has been occupied and so with Parang. The troops with the rebel leaders under [Maas Baong?] have occupied the foot of Bod Datu.
One disturbing note is that through my preliminary analysis of shell fragments of mortar shells lugged into Camp Asturias, it is apparent that the reports of mortar ammunition being sent from Sabah to the Maoist rebels is confirmed. This makes it all the Maoist elements in that Island.
The latest reports indicated that the Maoists are now concealing their weapons and putting up civilian clothes und trying to mix themselves with the civilian refugees or escaping by boat to other Islands.
The military have to impose a rigid refugees and evacuee surveillance or screening team. I have already directed the Chief of Staff to take the proper measures. In Cotabato, the same situation was met by Gen. Fortunato Abat (CENCOM) Central Mindanao Command.
All the other parts of Mindanao are quiet except for Cotabato. Gen. Abat has had to mount an operation against 45 rebels in the Reina Regente Mountains besides the Licuasan marshes, on 020 February 500 hours (5:00 in the morning of February 2). He estimates the enemy strength at 300 rebels and is attacking with four infantry battalions and civilian home defense forces. At 5 February, 28 of the enemy was counted killed (body count) 89 civilians (rebel suspects) were apprehended while on our side, 3 troopers were killed, 11 wounded. Of the wounded 6 [AFL?], 5 [JCHFS?].
The Reina Regente rebels has perpetrated attacks on the surrounding towns which required immediate action by the same CENCOM.