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Saturday, May 9, 1942

In the afternoon I received a note from Supervising Overseer Larrabaster in Norala reporting that the Moro datus of Danzuli, north of Norala was holding meeting with the datus of Daguma, Tacurong, and other Moro communities around Buluan for the purpose of banding together with the aim of driving all the Christian Filipino homeseekers and landowners from their territory. The Supervising Overseer further said that he had reasons to believe that the lawless activities may include the Norala and eventually Banga districts. He requested that he be furnished additional firearms in order that he may better cope with the situation. I talked over the subject of Supervising Overseer Larrabaster’s report with my assistant, Mr. Morrow, and we decided that he goes there and get the details of the report from Larrabaster. I told him to see that the settlers are not unduly alarmed and that adequate preparations are made to protect life and property in the district. I told Mr. Morrow to inform Larrabaster that I will not only send him arms, but if the situation so demands, I shall go there myself with Banga employees and settlers. Therefore, I said, it should be Supervising Overseer Larrabaster’s duty to keep well posted on this reported Moro menace and not to hesitate to send rush couriers for reinforcements in case of an actual attack. I told Assistant Manager Morrow to advise Larrabaster, further, that I would be proceeding to the other K.V.P. settlements in the morning to gather extra firearms to increase the present number they have in Norala now.