Tuesday, September 16, 2008
3 of 5 hostages in Basilan rescued by marines (11 a.m.)
By Bong Garcia
TROOPS from the Philippine Marine Corps (PMC) have rescued Monday night three of five non-government organization (NGO) workers who were seized by gunmen believed to be Abu Sayyaf bandits in the island province of Basilan, a top military official said Tuesday.
The rescue of Romeo Delos Reyes, Dionisio Estandarte, and Ludy Borja Bekit brought down to two the number of captives still in the hands of their abductors.
They are Esperancita Hupida, program director of Nagdilaab Foundation Incorporated (NFI), and Millet Mendoza, of the Christian Children's Fund (CCF) Basilan office.
Colonel Rustico Guerreo, chief of the 1st Marine Brigade, said Tuesday that the three hostages were rescued by troops from the Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT) 10 led by Lieutenant Colonel Ramon Mabalot.
Guerrero said the whereabouts of the hostages were discovered through the effort of Tipo-Tipo Mayor Tong Istarul who sent out his men to gather information to locate the captives.
NFI president Fr. Angel Calvo confirmed Tuesday that the three hostages are now with them at the NFI office in Isabela City, the capital of Basilan province.
The five, along with seven others, were aboard two vehicles on their way back to Isabela City from Tipo-Tipo when flagged down by the gunmen Monday afternoon in the village of Cabangalan, Ungkaya Pukan municipality.
The seven managed to escape from their abductors and two in the group reported the incident to Marine troops in the area, according to Guerrero. (Sunnex) |
