I attach the report on the Mindanao military situation of the CSAFP [Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines] and SND [Secretary of National Defense].
The Lake Seit military camp in Jolo is still under attack but our troops are unconcerned.
We have opened the Zamboanga airfield to our jet fighters. This will lengthen the loiter time of our planes in Jolo and Cotabato to 45 minutes from the original 10-I 5 minutes when they were based in Mactan.
Gen. [Romeo] Espino who had just arrived in Zamboanga by plane for a survey of the military situation witnessed the landing of the first five jet fighters. So did about five thousand civilians who cheered the arrival of the fighters.
Official Gazette for March 8, 1973: SECRETARY OF INFORMATION Francisco S. Tatad said that the reforms implemented since the imposition of Martial Law five months ago have accomplished meaningful changes under the New Society and welded the people together in making a brighter and better tomorrow. The DPI secretary stressed that the “social child” born five months ago under the New Society “is now on its feet standing strong” compared to a five-month old infant which is still crawling in its crib. Mr. Tatad reviewed the events that transpired since the birth of Martial Law and what could be expected under the administration of the President, in an extemporaneous speech before the Makati Rotary Club West during the club’s regular luncheon-meeting at the Hotel Inter-Continental. He pointed out that the discipline is now evident among the people as they obey traffic rules, wait at bus stops, line up in cinema houses. Drivers are more courteous and careful and have developed the habit of parking their vehicles at the proper parking areas, it was added. Mr. Tatad likewise noted increased and better respect for the law with government officials and employee showing more decency and civility in dealing with the public. He expressed optimism that a more relaxed policy may be forthcoming in connection with, the ban against travel abroad. Mr. Tatad likewise said that foreign investors have been assured of protection in the immediate repatriation: of their profit from their investments here.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE approved new increased tobacco inspection fees and enumerated the kind of articles subject to such fees. The new fees were fixed in revenue regulations recommended by the Bureau of Internal Revenue Code, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 69. The new fees, taking effect on Jan. 1, 1973, are: P0.50 for each 1,000 cigars or fraction thereof; P0.10 for each 1,000 cigarettes or fraction thereof; P0.02 for each kilogram of leaf tobacco or fraction thereof. The amount of F0.08 for each kilogram or fraction thereof of scraps, include stems, stripped tobacco, threshed tobacco, sweepings, siftings, snuff, smoking, chewing, and other manufactured products of tobacco, tobacco powder or dust or other waste removed for agricultural, industrial or research purpose. Those required to pay the tobacco inspection fees are manufacturers, producers, exporters, importers, redriers, whole sale tobacco: dealers or owners or possessor of cigars, cigarettes, leaf tobacco, scraps and all other products and by-products of tobacco. The inspection fees are to be paid 10 days after the removal of tobacco from their respective factories for domestic sale.
NATIONAL GRAINS Authority has announced that it is ready to accept applications for registration and licenses from all persons, natural or juridical, engaged in the business of rice, corn and other cereals. All persons engaged :n the storing, milling, warehousing, retailing, wholesaling, and processing of cereals must register and secure a license to operate, as provided by Presidential Decree No. 4 or the NGA Act to avoid any disruption of their normal business activities. The NGA previously extended up to March 31 of the current year the validity of registration certificates and licenses issued by the Rice arid Corn Board and Bureau of Commerce. Failure to register and secure a valid license to engage in, the grains business will subject the offender to the penal provisions of the NGA Act.
There are many civilian evacuees in Zamboanga City displaced by the fighting in the surrounding provinces.
The rebels in Basilan have disengaged. And in Cotabato where Gen. Espino is now, the rebels have been driven out of Midsayap but one of the surprising developments is that the Kamagong battalion composed of young untried soldiers have conducted themselves with distinction in Midsayap.
So I have directed the organization of more Kamagong battalions to be ultimately reorganized into 10 Battalion Combat Teams of 1,000 men each with heavy weapons, artillery and armor.
I have directed the acceleration of the shipment of two tanks, four APC’s [armored personnel carriers], six 105 artillery pieces by LST [Landing Ship, Tank]. No. 40 which also picks up POL and [Subil?] so as to support the other naval units and the helicopters which will use it off Lebak as an emergency landing and mother ship.
The 4th Inf. Bn. [Infantry Battalion] will be airlifted tomorrow to Cotabato.
I have asked Gen. [Rafael] Zagala (Pt. Commander) to generate at least another two battalions to be sent to Cotabato.
I intend to saturate the province and once and for all eradicate the Mindanao secessionist and communist movement.
I confronted Raschid Lucman with the letters he wrote Tun Mustafa, Tungku Abdul Rahman and Col. Kaddafi of Libya. He admitted the authorship of the letters except the one to [Muammar] Kaddafi but claimed that he had stopped his participation in the conspiracy after he had met with me last year.
I made him and Ali Dimaporo agree not to participate in any of the hostilities against the government.
If we can keep the two Lanaos quiet then we can concentrate on Cotabato.
And we have to keep most of the Muslims on our side. The two Lanaos can be used as an example or model for the development of the Muslim areas. So I will put up two model towns, one in Lanao del Sur (possibly Romain) and one in the North (possibly Baloi).