1:00 AM June 23rd
We have just left Zamboanga City for Cebu after a tumultuous and spontaneously happy welcome by the people who lined the streets to welcome us as we rode to the SOWESCOM [Southwest Command] Hdq. for a military briefing and the Pastor Bonus Hall for a joint meeting with the civil officials.
Situation is alarming but not critical. Started as a family feud between the Mirandas and Hassans. Seems that last November a policeman, Miranda, in trying to pacify the son of the Vice Mayor, Hassan, of Ipil, was knifed by one of the companions of the boy whom he killed in turn with his gun. In retaliation the brother of Hassan killed the brother of the policeman Miranda. Miranda then sought the help of the Ilagas against the Moslems.
The Ilaga raid on Ipil where 4 Moslems were killed and five Ilagas also killed resulted.
And there are Ilaga organizations springing up, possibly in self-defense, but actually in a big extortion ring—or with possible connections with the communists.
Ordered the banning of the carrying of firearms outside residences as in Ilocos Sur and Cavite, augmented the SOWESCOM, and increased the arms for the policemen with the provincial government advancing funds for purchase and the PC [Philippine Constabulary] lending some.
On June 16th the PC apprehended an Ilaga leader a [Maxhimil?] Canoy who revealed that he and 37 others were brought from Cotabato by Gov. [Arsenio] Quibranza in August of 1971 to Lanao del Norte then to Zamboanga del Sur.
I talked to [Zamboanga] Archbishop [Lino] Gonzaga who is a spiritual adviser. He also feels that a revolution has actually started and will get well into a worse state soon. And the democratic ways will not solve the violence. So martial law may be necessary. To what extent he does not know.
But this has impressed Imelda and me.
Second entry for June 22, 1972 continues the diary.