Suspected Abu Sayyaf separatist rebels kept four hostages and freed 26 others after seizing them on the high seas, aboard a motor launch that left Sumisip town, Hot Island, Basilan (near Zamboanga port city) on Thursday afternoon.

The group's four new captives were identified as Laja Omar, 19; Habir Rassan,18; Faizal Hussin, 19, and Isah Indanan, 24, said Sulu Police Chief Candido Casimiro, adding: "The four remaining captives were used as a shield against pursuing police forces."

Army Col. Romeo Tolentino, Commander of the 104th Infantry Brigade in Sulu, dispatched troops to recover the hostages and to track down the bandits. Tolentino coordinated with Army Col. Juvenal Narcise, chief of the 103rd Infantry Brigade in Basilan, following reports that the Abu Sayyaf group might go back to Basilan with the hostages.

"We are set to rescue the hostages," said Casimiro, but refused to give details of the operation. Casimiro got details of the abduction from the freed hostages who were brought to police headquarters in Jolo yesterday.

"Men with high powered firearms on five swift motor boats blocked our way, surrounded us, and abducted us while our passenger ferry was sailing from Maluso town to Bubuan Island, before midnight on Thursday," an eyewitness said.

"They took our things. They got our money and valuables, including our shoes and clothes. They threatened to kill us, but we pleaded for our lives," said another witness, adding they were not harmed when released after a day in the small fishing village of Punungan in Maimbung town.

"We could not ask for help because the banca was not equipped with cell phones," said another witness. Most of the passengers were women and children, witnesses said, adding the money they lost was like ransom payments. "We were eventually taken to the Sulu province aboard the motorised banca," said another witness.

The Abu Sayyaf did not release the passenger-ferry which was left in Maimbung town, the witnesses said. Basilan Police Director Superintendent Ahmadul Pangambayan said he was "very happy" that the other hostages were finally located in Sulu.

Earlier, the Southern Command said the hostages were taken to Patah island off Sulu province. Other reports said the victims were believed to have been brought to either the mountains of Talipao or Patikul towns in Sulu.

The Abu Sayyaf group which undertook the hostage-taking was headed by Khadafy Janjalani, brother of the slain group's founder, Abduraqjak Janjalani, sources said. The Abu Sayyaf one-armed bandit leader, Radulan Sahjiron, is encamped in the mountains of Patikul.

The Abu Sayyaf commander, Ghalib Andang, also known as Commander Robot, and his associate Mujib Susukan are encamped in Talipao, reports said. "These are the remnants of the Abu Sayyaf from Basilan province who fled to Sulu because of the ongoing military operation against the rebels in the province," Casimiro said.