On the arrival of the Americans Dato Mandi offered to take it and turn it over to them, but his proposition was declined.
He subsequently swore to an affidavit relative to conditions under Insurgent rule.

It reads as follows:-- "We always had peace in Zamboanga District; except during the revolution of the Filipinos in the year 1899, when for seven or eight months there was in existence the so-called Filipino Republic.

During that time there was much robbing and killing; the life of a man was worth no more than that of a chicken; men killed one another for personal gain; enemies fought one another with the bolo instead of settling their differences before the law.

It was a time of bloodshed and terror.

There was no justice.