Rebel group claims rescue of three hostages

By William B Depasupil /Manila

The Armed Forces of the Philippines  is clueless on the Moro National Liberation Front’s (MNLF) claim that they have rescued three foreign hostages from the hands of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf group following a fierce firefight on Wednesday.

“We have not received such information. We came from Sulu, the fighting there (of the MNLF and Abu Sayyaf) happened on Sunday morning and nothing more after that,” said Gen  Emmanuel Bautista, the Armed Forces chief of staff.

Bautista was reacting to an earlier radio interview by MNLF spokesman Emmanuel Fontanilla, who claimed that they would soon handover the rescued hostages, two Swiss and a Dutch, as soon as MNLF chairman Nur Misuari arrives from the Middle East.Fontanilla also said that during the two groups’ recent encounter, 23 Abu Sayyaf members were killed, 11 were injured and six were captured. According to Bautista, he does know Fontanilla, saying that “it is only now that I have heard his name.”

He further said that he has not received any report either about Fontanilla’s claim that the MNLF overran an Abu Sayyaf camp.

“We have no validation about that. We don’t know that report and we have not received such a report,” Bautista stressed.

He said that government troops continue to monitor the situation in Patikul, Sulu province to ensure the safety of the civilians and prevent a spillover of the MNLF and Abu Sayyaf fighting. Bautista said that he has also instructed his men to provide assistance to the evacuees and those injured. — Manila Times