After a hasty breakfast, requested Major Tiongson to make an appointment for me to call on General Vachon.
Without having me come to his office as I expected, General Vachon humbly cane to see me at Mr. Cruz’s house instead. He talked about the food supplies the Koronadal and Ala Valley settlers could furnish the Army within the next 90 days. General Vachon told me he would most welcome and be disposed to pay any quantity of foodstuffs we could send the Army. I assured him that within the next 90 days we could send the Army at least 1,500 sacks of rice; 15,000 of corn; 5,000 each of mongos; cowpeas and camotes as well as papayas, eggs, hogs and chickens The General seriously wished we could send these food supplies as fast.as possible to preclude the possibility of their falling into the hands of the Japanese Army in case an invasion of the valley was effected.
Incidentally, General Vachon revealed to me his plans of defense of Mindanao, which were to bid for time due to lack of immediate reinforcements in men, arms and ammunition. He said, however, he expected to receive reinforcements within a very short time. I consider his plans highly logical under the circumstances. I also took occasion to take up with General Vachon the call to active duty of Colonel Dionisio Gutierrez, whom I believe to be most useful to the Army in view of his thorough knowledge of the Mindanao terrain. The General told me that Colonel Gutierrez is now attached to the office of Colonel Nelson.
General Vachon impressed me as a very efficient Commanding Officer and I was genuinely pleased to have met him.
After parting with the General at about 8:30 a.m., proceeded to the Constabulary barracks to visit Colonel Torres who was unfortunately away at the time. While chatting with Major Ferriol and his junior officers in the Constabulary compound, heard the drone of four Japanese planes. We immediately got out to the building and ran to the dugout behind. After the planes had disappeared, left for the Bukidnon Agricultural School with Major Tiongson to visit the officers’ families evacuated there.
After luncheon, visited the different projects of the school, which I found efficiently managed. Promised Dr. Cevallos that I would send him a boar from Koronadal for the school piggery. Then left for Koronadal with Mr. Morrow, Mr. Aquino and Remy, leaving Major Tiongson behind.
On the way, met Capt. Piang with news that a battleship had been sighted from Dadiangas and that some 1,000 Japanese had been reported in the Mamoñgan area. The Captain also told me that Capt. Bautista, S.C., was at Dulawan with our radio set from Lagao. Stopped at Dulawan to see Capt. Bautista who gave me the same information about the presence of Japanese in Mamoñgan. He had with him our radio set and the radio operators, Messrs. Canzana and Bautista.
Arrived Marbel about 11:97 p.m. Supervising Overseer Larrabaster informed me of the commotion that took place in Lagao and the disconcerting news that the store had bern looted, After a light dinner proceeded to Lagao at 2:00 a.m., with Supervising Overseer Larrabaster and Lt. _______. Stopped at Tupi to pick up Mr. Tiongson. Arrived Lagao at 4:30 a.m., Saturday.