[ LETTER OF INSTRUCTION No. 513, March 04, 1977 ]

ON THE CEASEFIRE IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES

TO:
1. The Secretary of National Defense
2. The Chief of Staff, AFP
3. The Chief of Constabulary
4. The Commander, Southern Command, AFP
  1. The maintenance of peace and order as well as the enforcement of the law is still the responsibility of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Integrated Police Force throughout all provinces and cities of the Philippines. They will continue to protect all residents of the ceasefire area in their persons, property and liberty.

    The civil government, both in the national and local level will cooperate in this task and extend to the AFP and the Integrated National Police all facilities and support.

  2. Any person, whether or not claiming to be a member of the Moro National Liberation Front or any other armed rebel group, who commits any crime punishable by ordinary criminal laws like murder, ambuscade, armed attack, robbery, extortion, coercion, kidnapping, arson, etc., shall be presumed not to belong to such organization and shall be treated as any  ordinary   criminal;   nor shall  he   be considered as entitled to special treatment as a part of the Moro National Liberation Front; such criminal shall be proceeded against in  accordance with the Standard Operating Procedure of the Armed Forces and the Integrated Police Force, with notice being given to the Moro National Liberation Front, if there should be any claim by anyone that such criminal belongs to such organization.

  3. Reports should be submitted of any violation of the Ceasefire Agreement to the Ceasefire Committee, the Local and National governments and the members of the Quadripartite Committee of the Islamic Conference.

(Sgd.)   FERDINAND E. MARCOS
President Republic of the Philippines