Ambassador [Toshio] Urabe was able to move out of the PSU [sic] [Mindanao State University] where they were practically kept hostages by the Muslim rebels. He arrived in Manila at 4:10 PM and saw me at 5:00 PM to explain what he saw and what had happened.
I just talked to Gen. [Fidel] Ramos, Gen. [Wilfredo] Encarnacion and Lancaf Task Force Commander Col. [Pedro] Zafra by SSB [single-sideband modulation]. Attached list of request.
It turns out the rebels are followers of the former Chief of Police dismissed by Major Omar Dianalan, Zakar ______ and a former BIR [Bureau of Internal Revenue] man also dismissed for being notoriously undesirable. They both have 200 men each.
They sought to isolate Marawi City by taking Pantar Bridge over the Agos River and burning the wooden portion. Then they took the MSU [Mindanao State University] radio and sought to rally the people to their side. But the people did not respond because the mayors who had just seen me in Malacañan dissuaded the people from joining the rebels. And the swift retaliatory action by our reinforcements employing mortars and the recoil-less rifles—the 106 and 3.5 mm. (the latter were first employed by the marine company in Pantar bridge when the rebels in full force blocked the road with two panel wagons). The marines suffered five WIA [wounded in action] in that encounter.
The rebels attacked Marawi and the surrounded PC [Philippine Constabulary] Prov. Hq. at 4:00 AM and 8:00 AM this morning. They were repulsed again.
As of tonight there is still sporadic firing and another attack is expected. We are sending two more companies tomorrow. And this includes one company from the PSC [Presidential
mmunity in which the principles of cooperative endeavors have been applied. According to the Agricultural Credit Administration (ACA), the pivotal agent which brought about the growth of the cooperative movement in this prosperous town is the Batac Producers’ Cooperative Marketing Association. It was organized by then Rep. Ferdinand E. Marcos of Ilocos Norte’s second congressional district. The cooperative started with 200 members with a paid-up capital of P2,000. Since then, its volume of business has steadily grown up as it branched out into tobacco procuring, warehousing, piggery, marketing, gasoline station operation, lumber and hardware retailing. The ACA’s branch office in Ilocos Norte reported that the total assets of the Batac Procoma amounts to P1 million as of fiscal year 1971-72.
The catastrophic July-August floods whipped up to a dramatic pitch the crying need for forest conservation. The pitch drew enthusiastic response. The government sector and, surprisingly, the once unperturbed private sector, the youths in particular, plunged into tree-planting on a scale and with an enthusiasm never witnessed before. About 800 youth volunteers composed mostly of students from Manila. Pampanga, the Bulacan National Agriculture College and the Pampanga Boy Scouts stuck some 78,000 tree seedlings over an estimated 24 hectare on the foothills of Mt. Arayat.
Security Command? Philippine Service Command?]—the Special Forces company of 100 officers and men.
Our troops have actually suffered three KIA [killed in action], 2 MIA [missing in action] and 7 WIA [wounded in action] while the enemy has suffered 50-60 KIA, the bodies still lying in front of the PC Hq.
I have ordered all the rebels who participated in the attack to be accounted for dead or alive.
Any sign of weakness will be exploited by the rebels and their protectors.
The Japanese Recovery Team for the Japanese straggler in Lubang Island arrived this afternoon at 2:30 PM with 42 Japanese correspondents. They were ferried by C-47 and will be supported by heli tomorrow when the brother of the survivor Lt. [Hiroo] Onoda will try to locate him and drop leaflets as well as appeal to him by loudspeaker.
The Japanese correspondents will probably be interested in the escape of the Japanese ambassador from Marawi now.