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April 20, 2003, The Philippine Star, 2 Jehovah’s Witnesses escape from Sayyaf, by Roel Pareño,

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April 20, 2003, The Philippine Star, 2 Jehovah’s Witnesses escape from Sayyaf, by Roel Pareño,

Two of four Filipina Christian preachers abducted by the Abu Sayyaf last year were found wandering in Sulu yesterday, the military reported. 

Emily Mantic and Cleofe Mantulo apparently eluded their captors during a military operation, Brig. Gen. Romeo Tolentino, deputy chief of the Southern Command, said in his report to Armed Forces chief Gen. Narciso Abaya. 

"This is part of our ongoing operation. We will not stop the rescue until all the hostages are freed," Abaya told reporters. 

Two other women — Norie Bendijo and Flora Montulo — remain in captivity in Sulu, the military said. The bandits have earlier demanded a P6-million ransom for the four captives. 

Mantic and Montulo escaped Friday night while their guards were asleep during a stop near Patikul town, Tolentino said, adding that the escape was made possible by the relentless pursuit by troops and aircraft "that made the bandits tired from running away." 

"The victims are all right now but they have to be examined and undergo a thorough medical checkup," he said. 

"We thank the Lord for their safe return," President Arroyo told a press briefing. "Day by day we are nearing the dawn of stability and peace in Sulu. There is no turning back. The terrorists are nearing the end of the road and the hopes of the people of Sulu will soon be redeemed." 

Earlier this month, Mrs. Arroyo said a joint exercise between US and Filipino troops will be held partly in Sulu to crush the Abu Sayyaf. 

Mantic and Montulo were found by troops of the 4th Infantry Battalion, which had been combing the island for the four captives, Southern Command chief Maj. Gen. Roy Kyamko said. 

The two freed captives told Kyamko the bandits have split into two groups to evade the military and the remaining two hostages are with the other group. 

"The troops are under instruction to continue the rescue and operation mission to neutralize the bandits," he said. 

"I commend our troops for keeping up the pressure. This is a very good start for our new Southcom chief," Mrs. Arroyo said, referring to Kyamko who had just taken over from Abaya. 

"They were in the thick of the fight all throughout yesterday, Good Friday. This is part of the sacrifice that they are taking to save and safeguard our people." 

Mantic and Montulo were among a group of Jehovah's Witnesses preachers seized by the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu last Aug. 21. 

It was the second Abu Sayyaf kidnapping since the bandits seized three Indonesian crewmen from a passing tugboat, M/T Sentile Marine 88 on June 17, in the waters near Sulu. 

The Jehovah's Witnesses members were on board a jeepney headed for Jolo town to sell Avon products when they picked up two hitchhikers before noon. 

Upon reaching Sitio Parang-Parang in Barangay Darayan, the two men pulled out handguns and forced the driver to stop the jeepney. They released the driver, Yahya Hamsi, and the group's two female Muslim guides. 

Two male companions — Cleofe Montulo's husband, Lemuel Montulo — and Leonel Manticwere beheaded. 

Their heads were wrapped in plastic and put in ice boxes — with notes saying they were executed for being "infidels" to the Islamic faith — and left in a Patikul public market. 

Hamsi later identified one of the two gunmen as Muin Maulod Sahiron, a nephew of one-armed bandit Radulan Sahiron, who is one of five top Abu Sayyaf leaders wanted by the United States for kidnapping four Americans, one of whom, was beheaded. 

Officials said the victims were mostly from Zamboanga City but were staying at a local inn and selling Avon products. Police found Avon cosmetics scattered at the crime scene that left authorities initially skeptical that the Abu Sayyaf was involved. 

The kidnapping was a grisly reminder that the Abu Sayyaf was still remained a threat despite joint US-Philippine counter-terrorism operations on nearby Basilan island that ended a month earlier. 

The Abu Sayyaf are a small band of Islamic militants the US and Philippine governments have loosely linked to the al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden and branded as terrorists. 

The bandits have launched daring abductions in recent years and are wanted for the murder of two American hostages seized from the upscale Dos Palmas beach resort off Palawan in May 2001. 

Last year, a thousand US troops conducted a joint annual exercise with Filipino troops on Basilan, resulting in the crippling of Abu Sayyaf forces there and aiding in the capture and death of some members and leaders. 

Many of the fighters in Basilan, estimated at about 300, have fled to Sulu. Mrs. Arroyo said this year’s joint exercise will be held partly in Sulu to wipe out the Abu Sayyaf there. 

In an April 9 speech, the President said "Sulu is strategically important and that is why Balikatan will partly be held there." 

However, previous proposals to hold the exercises in Sulu have been met with opposition from local groups, including certain Philippine officials. 

There had also been technical disagreements between Manila and Washington over the rules or so-called terms of reference governing the exercises. 

The planned exercise stirred controversy after unidentified Pentagon officials said in February that US troops would engage in combat against the Abu Sayyaf. Philippine officials quickly issued denials. 

Under the Philippine Constitution, foreign troops cannot engage in combat in this country and American troops in previous exercises could only fire in self-defense. 

Local Muslim groups had previously opposed the joint exercises in Sulu because of memories of bitter clashes between Muslim fighters and US colonial troops in Sulu in the early-1900s. — With Marichu Villanueva, Jaime Laude, AFP

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