Muslim extremist guerrillas released seven hostages to increase their mobility in mountainous jungle as they dodge an intensifying pursuit by government troops, military and police said. Col. Hermogenes Esperon, an army commander, said the Abu Sayyaf extremists released four men and three women – leaving them with only four or five hostages, including a pair of American missionaries held for nearly six months - to speed up their retreat from 7,000 troops on the southern island of Basilan.
He said the Abu Sayyaf released the hostages on a deserted highway. The hostages then walked toward nearby towns until they met police and soldiers.
They were released out of pressure from the continuing military operations and rescued by our troops, Esperon said. The guerrillas still hold Wichita, Kansas, missionaries Martin and Gracia Burnham and two or three more Filipinos, the military said.
Lt Gen Roy Cimatu, military chief in the southern Philippines, said the media would be allowed to see the released hostages later.
Cimatu said two of the women - Fe Rosadeno and Angie Montealegre - were among a group of 17 Filipinos and three Americans seized May 27. A third woman, Sheila Tabunyag, was a midwife seized with other staff from a Basilan hospital on June 2, apparently to treat injured guerrillas.
Bureau Report