10:55 PM
July 21, 1972
Friday
Malacañan Palace
Manila
Helicoptered to Central Luzon for a survey. Passed by Basa and Clark Air Bases.
The water has receded from Pampanga and Bulacan but Tarlac and Pangasinan are still under water. Some people are still climbing to rooftops and tree tops. They had to be rescued by helicopters.
The towns are isolated. Not only food but potable water are in great demand.
The DART teams under Col. King arrival 40 minutes before me. The Tripoli and its three smaller ships (The Tripoli, a helicopter carrier may carry twenty five helicopters) are arriving tomorrow at 8:00 AM.
Basa Air Base will be the operations center where all the suppliers will be ferried by plane.
Tomorrow I fly by helicopter to Basa and Clark then to Lingayen and around Pangasinan.
I attach reports.
UUSAF Fully Gears Giant was shot by a UK – 47 at Bo. San Francisco, Bamban, Tarlac, Commissioner Juan is operating there, his engine was shot.
Last might there was an unpleasant incident with Imee (we thought she was ill-mannered, but I was irritable, and (illegible)) who later apologized but her mother had punished her and the two are not talking to each other.
Lt. Abao did well in the fight of San Mariano. He killed two NPA’s and captured on Max Soriano a Muslim who is now spilling the beans.
I was correct in my estimate of the route of withdrawal and rate of travel of the NPA flushed out of Diguyo – they would move south then went to Pigcanauan de Ilagan River and reach San Mariano in seven days.
They were flushed out by bombardment on the 10th. On the 18th they were attacking a detachment in San Mariano.
And they are grouping in their camp and Grid 97 – 68 in the big map at the junction of the Pigcanauan de Ilagan River.
I am glad I ordered Gov. Paranio to return to Echague 17 Saravey Hq. He was brought by Gen. Espino from Indanan on the 17th.
The organization of another task force, TF Palanan under Gen. Zagala, PA Commander and its operations in the area from Palanan south to Diguyo, Digollorin and Divinisa was intended to stop and movement southward from Diguyo.
Then Gen. Paranas of TF Saranay was moved with enough men back Echague so as to trap the men coming down from Sierra Madre.
This is what has happened. The man who was caught (5 were caught yesterday – this has also appeared in the Herald, July 22nd) and Max Soriano caught after being wounded in the fight at San Mariano with the detachment of Lt. Abao.
And he has revealed that the group at the Pigcanauan de Ilagan River is led by Ka (not readable) or Derico (Victor Corpus), numbers 60 and they are waiting for more men so that they can build up their force to 200 men and can then attack the supposedly depleted PC detachments in the lowlands of Isabela around San Mariano, Angadanan, San Guillermo, Echague and Jones.
Little do they know that we have prepared Gen. Paranis with a strong force to hit them in their own encampment.