Five Abu Sayyaf terrorists killed in army offensive

Five Abu Sayyaf rebels were killed during a clash with the elite Filipino army troops in Landogan village, Lantawan, Basilan, yesterday, the military said. It added that ground forces would soon catch up with Abu Sayyaf leader, Isnilon Hapilon, who is holding a Filipina nurse and two American missionaries in the hinterlands.

A certain Abu Sayyaf rebel, Commander Bakal (Iron), was wounded in the firefight. There were no casualties on the government side, said Southern Command spokesman, Noel Detoyato, in a report that reached Manila.

The military sent a chopper to get the bodies of the slain Abu Sayyaf members, but this attempt did not succeed because of bad weather, a television report said.

Ground troops were augmented to pursue the escaping Abu Sayyaf members, the TV report added.

"There were strong indications that the hostages were with the rebel group," Detoyato said. "Before the encounter, troops sighted a woman within the rebel group. This could mean that the woman was one of the hostages."

"If the female was a wife of one of the rebels, then this would mean the woman was tasked to take care of the two women hostages, American missionary Gracia Burnham and nurse Edborah Yap," said Detoyato.

The military, however, never saw the woman again.