Estrada vows to pursue Abu Sayyaf
MANILA, Sept 20 (AFP) -
Philippine President Joseph Estrada vowed Wednesday to pursue the Abu Sayyaf Muslim rebels
and said he had ordered the army assault on their island hideout to be stepped up.
"We should crush them and
reduce them to ash, this Abu Sayyaf," Estrada said at a news conference with two
French journalists who escaped from their captors Tuesday night.
"We cannot stop here,
there are still 17 hostages to go," said Estrada, adding he had ordered an
intensification of military operations.
"We shall continue to
pursue the Abu Sayyaf criminals and secure the safety of the remaining hostages."
Jean-Jacques Le Garrec, 46, and
Roland Madura, 49, had managed to give their Muslim rebel captors the slip undercover of
darkness during the Philippine military assault on the southern island of Jolo.
They arrived in Manila
Wednesday after having been held since July 9 when they were seized by the Abu Sayyaf as
they tried to interview hostages snatched in April from the Malaysian dive resort island
of Sipadan.
Back to Sipadan/Pandanan Hostages News
Back
to This Week's Borneo News |
