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Monday, July 09, 2007
Marines alerted to armed men landing in Basilan
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY -- Marines were deployed to track down a group of armed men recently sighted to have landed in the shores of the nearby island province of Basilan.
Lieutenant Colonel Felix Almadrones, chief of the Marine Battalion Landing Team 8, said he received reports that the gunmen upon arrival in Basilan proceeded to the town of Akbar.
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Almadrones at the same time said they have intercepted information that the abductors of Italian priest Fr. Giancarlo Bossi are planning to transfer him to Basilan.
Earlier reports had said Fr. Bossi's abductors wanted to turn over their captive to the custody of al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandits.
Fr. Bossi, 57, of the Pontificio Istituto Missioni Estere (Pime) and parish priest of Payao town in Zamboanga Sibugay, was seized last June 10 while on his way to celebrate a mass in Barangay Bulawan.
"We have deployed personnel to determine the veracity of the information we gathered," Almadrones said. The gunmen were not immediately identified.
Colonel Ramiro Alivio, chief of the 1st Marine Brigade, said they also received reports that Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon has returned to his native place in Basilan.
Hapilon is the remaining top Abu Sayyaf leader wanted by the US government for the kidnapping and killing of American hostages. (Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (July 9, 2007 issue)
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