August 5, 2001, The Philippine Star, 13 Sayyaf Hostages Rescued, by Roel Pareño and Christina Mendez,

August 5, 2001, The Philippine Star, 13 Sayyaf Hostages Rescued, by Roel Pareño and Christina Mendez, 

Basilan Island, - Soldiers today rescued 13 hostages - including three children - after a clash with the Abu Sayyaf bandit group that has beheaded 10 other captives in the past few days, said army spokesman Maj. Alberto Gepilano.

The 13 were among a group of 36 people seized Thursday in a raid by the group Abu Sayyaf on a village on the southern island of Basilan. The Abu Sayyaf is also holding a separate group of 20 hostages, including three Americans, on another part of Basilan, a guerrilla stronghold nearly 600 miles south of the capital of Manila.

Of the group seized Thursday from the southern village of Balobo, 10 were found beheaded. Most, or all, of those kidnapped and beheaded were Christian.

It remained unclear Sunday whether any of the original 36 were still being held.

The 13 were rescued in an adjacent village after a gunbattle between the Abu Sayyaf and pursuing soldiers, southern military commander Lieutenant-General Gregorio Camiling said.

"A skirmish occurred early today and forced the bandits to abandon the rest of their hostages," Camiling told reporters, referring to those taken in Thursday's raid.

Deputy Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Calimlim said 11 hostages were freed Friday morning to relay the Abu Sayyaf's demand that the army end its campaign to eradicate the group.

"That is the only demand of the Abu Sayyaf," Calimlim said.

The Abu Sayyaf group is still holding a missionary couple, Martin and Gracia Burnham, from Wichita, Kan., but claims to have beheaded the third American, Guillermo Sobero, from Corona, Calif. Sobero's body has not been found.

The military has deployed more than 7,000 troops around Basilan in a major effort to track down the Abu Sayyaf and rescue the remaining hostages. But the guerrillas have generally avoided frontal clashes with the soldiers.

"No matter how many battalions you deploy, we cannot cordon the whole place,'' Calimlim said. "The terrain is so vast, too densely forested and mountainous. The terrain is to their advantage."