Philippines Troops Pursue Rebels
By JIM GOMEZ, Associated Press Writer
ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (AP) -
Government troops pursued Muslim rebels through jungles Monday in the third day of an
assault to rescue 19 hostages, but Philippine officials held back from saying that all the
captives were safe.
Some Abu Sayyaf rebels fled to
the coastlines of small southern Jolo Island in an attempt to escape, Gov. Abdusakur Tan
said. The rebels are believed to have bought speedboats with some of the more than $15
million ransom they received from Libya and Malaysia for freeing other hostages.
Civil defense officials said
four civilians were confirmed dead. More injured civilians were believed trapped inside a
tight military blockade of rebel areas.
Some 5,000 villagers fled to
the Jolo capital, Zamboanga, and were being housed in mosques and schools, Tan said, as
mortars, attack planes and helicopter gunships pounded rebel positions.
Since the assault began
Saturday, the military has overrun two major Abu Sayyaf camps and smaller hide-outs but
found no signs of the hostages.
Officials continued a news
blackout on most details of the assault, which the military said could last up to six
days. But they appeared less confident that all the hostages remained alive.
``We've not given them up
yet,'' said presidential Press Secretary Ricardo Puno. ``As far as we are concerned, we
are hopeful, we're optimistic that many of them will turn up safe and sound, and can be
recovered.''
Various Abu Sayyaf factions are
holding an American, two French journalists, three Malaysians, a Filipino kidnapped with a
larger group in April, and 12 Filipino Christian evangelists who came to pray for the
other hostages.
Eight rebels have been killed
and 20 captured in the three days of fighting, while six government troops were wounded,
military officials said.
Fighting continued in many
scattered areas of Jolo's jungles, Tan said.
Transportation and telephone
links to the island were cut by the military.
President Joseph Estrada's
decision to attack the rebels after nearly five months of negotiations has been widely
supported by Filipinos.
Hundreds of members of the
evangelists' Jesus Miracle Crusade, however, demonstrated Monday to protest the assault.
``They have put the lives of
all the hostages in great danger,'' said Brother Danny Cuarteros, a member of the crusade
who was earlier released by the rebels.
France, Germany and Malaysia
have also expressed concern that the attack would endanger the captives.
But acting Foreign Secretary
Franklin Ebdalin said the Philippine government decided on the assault because ``all the
avenues of negotiations have been exhausted and there seems to be no end to the cycle of
hostage-taking.''
In Zamboanga city, provincial
health officer Nelsa Amin assembled antibiotics, oxygen tanks and a team of surgeons to
treat the injured but was unable to find transportation to Jolo, about 85 miles away.
She urged the military to
temporarily halt the attack so that wounded civilians could be located.
Before their kidnapping spree
began in March, the Abu Sayyaf had fewer than 200 armed men. The number swelled to more
than 3,000 as the huge ransom payments attracted recruits, the military says.
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