10:20 PM
July 17, 1972
Monday
Malacañan Palace
The SND, Chief of Staff and the Chief of all general services reviewed with me the plans for Isabela. I directed that Gen. Paranis must now be brought down to the lowlands to block the movement of the fleeing NPA’s to the San Guillermo, Echague, Angadanan area. The road from Maddela, Quirino ((not readable) logging road) must be blocked. And while the Tf Palanan is attacking the second camp, another company under Col. Dizon (Prev. Commander of Isabela) must surround Diversion which has a settlement of about 200 mos of whom are allegedly NPA’s so that if they flee with their firearms during the (not readable) (not readable) (air and (not readable)) they can be apprehended.
For I support that no enemy soldiers will be in the camp at Digollirui River. They will have fled by now perhaps westward or southward to Divivisa.
Palanan, probably, is also infiltrated by the NPA’s. And the new forces should be (not readable).
And air reconnaissance should try to locate the nearest logging camp and farm where the NPA’s Juan Digoyo could have run to for food and shelter.
I have ordered the establishment of three naval stations: San Vicente, Palanan (Bacabian Bay) and Casiguran. I ordered P500,000 to be released to the navy and 12 Marcos prefabs for all purpose buildings.
Palanan airstrip must be lengthen and improved for the use of Fok kers and possibly jet fighters.
This noon I directed the Sec. of Public Works and the Com. On Highways to finish the Bilac – Casiguran road and work on the Ilagan – Palanan road with the Army Engineers, connecting into the logging roads if any, as well as to improve the Appari – San Vicente road in Cagayan.
5,000 (not readable) 16’s must be acquired, 1,200 from (not readable) and 3,800 from military sales.
There must be a increase of the (not readable) HDF, Tabak Division and the PC which is at 40% strength and 15% armed with (not readable).
The M-14’s that were captured are apparently not US made but may have been duplicated by the Chicoms or some foreign country. The word as well as the metal is being studied.
Two of the BAR’s captured in Diguyo (Nos. 602721 and 22280) were lost by the PMA on 29 Dec 70. This proves that the band was apparently led by Corpis alias Ka Dencio.
The captured rocket launcher is a RPG, Rocket-Propelled Grenade on M-40, a 40mm. Russian model copied by the Chicom and used by the Vietcong. It is an anti-tank weapon. Penetration – 11 to 18 inches of steel. Breaching – 36 inches of reinforced concrete or 4 layers of sandbags (approximately 48 inches.)
I attach the reports.
Another assassination plot is reported by Bob Garcia. A group including Eddie Figueras has asked a family to rent a house near St. Jude to be used as a sniping point as I cross the river to Pangarap.