October 15, 2001, Sun Star, 10 Abus killed, 4 hostages rescued in Basilan clashes,

ISABELA -- At least 10 Muslim Abu Sayyaf gunmen were killed in clashes with soldiers in the southern island of Basilan, where four Filipino hostages were rescued on Sunday. [10/14]

But the rebels still hold nine Filipinos and American Christian missionary couple Martin and Gracia Burnham in Basilan's rough jungle terrain. 

In Manila, President Arroyo's national security adviser, Roilo Golez, said Sunday that the commander of the U.S. Pacific Forces is set to visit the Philippines next month to discuss co-operation in anti-terrorism efforts under way. 

Last week in Basilan, the skeletal remains of a third American, Guillermo Sobero of California, were found last week, months after the rebels said they beheaded him as an "independence day" gift to the government in June.

The Americans were seized in May from a beach resort along with a group of Filipinos, most of whom have been freed allegedly after ransom payments. 

Soldiers caught up with the main Abu Sayyaf group in the village of Lumbang in Basilan's Lantawan town before dawn Sunday, triggering a running gunbattle. 

Hostages Joel Guillo, Reynaldo Ariston, Ruben Baldesamos and Rodrigo Solon were rescued as the firefight, which also wounded two soldiers, raged. 

A seven-year-old boy was also killed while his father and a woman and her son were wounded as the fleeing rebels indiscriminately fired on a cluster of huts, the military said. 

"Initially, 10 Abu Sayyaf were reported killed, but there could be more Abu Sayyaf casualties in the frontlines," Armed Forces Southern Command chief Lieutenant General Roy Cimatu said. 

Armed Forces spokesman Brigadier General Edilberto Adan said the rescue was a "positive development" and showed that soldiers were getting better at familiarizing the terrain. 

He said civilians had been providing government intelligence with information on the whereabouts of the group. 

The military expects "a big accomplishment by way of recovering (the remaining) hostages and inflicting heavy casualties on the terrorist group" in the coming days, Adan said, adding that troops were on heightened alert for retaliatory actions.

The rescued captives were taken to an army headquarters just outside Isabela, the capital of Basilan, where they ate corned beef and rice for their first real meal in months. They were later debriefed and underwent medical tests. 

They looked haggard and wore faded jeans as they tearfully embraced their relatives who had flocked to the camp to meet them, officials said. 

"Reunions like these are very emotional, but we must not forget that their recovery came about with a heavy prices, a lot of them (soldiers) were wounded to effect this rescue," Adan stressed. 

One of the freed captives said Burnham and his wife appeared to be weak and mentally drained. 

"Martin Burnham is being tied up every night. He is the only one being heavily guarded. Both his hands are tied while Gracia is always crying. They are very weak," said Joel Guillo, a hospital worker seized by the rebels in a June raid in the mostly Christian town of Lamitan. 

"Life in the mountain is harsh, we had to eat bananas if we could not find rice. We walked endlessly, but Jesus Christ saved us. I wish this never happens again to us and our families," he said. 

The three other hostages were among more than a dozen plantation workers seized by the Abu Sayyaf. 

The rebels have beheaded at least 14 other Basilan captives in retaliation for President Arroyo's military assault. 

More than 5,000 troops are scouring Basilan in an offensive that has left scores of casualties on both sides. 

The Abu Sayyaf was formed in the early 1990s with seed money from Saudi dissident Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network. 

Cimatu also said the hostages told the debriefing that two Yemeni nationals had stayed with the Abu Sayyaf in the past two months. 

The Yemenis were seen leading the Abu Sayyaf in celebrating after the September 11 terror attacks in the United States, he said. 

Concerning Blair's visit, Golez said there was "no definite schedule yet" for but he was expected to arrive as Arroyo leaves for a visit to the United States, added Golez.

Arroyo, who assumed the presidency in January, is due to make her first state visit to the United States from November 18 to 20. 

The Philippines hoped Blair would arrive in time to meet Arroyo, Golez said in a statement. 

"The president welcomes the arrival of Admiral Blair and prefers that his visit be on a date that would allow a meeting between the president and the top U.S. military official so they can discuss very substantive matters," Golez said. 

He said Arroyo and her top defense officials, including himself, would fly with the president to the United States, where they were expected to meet President George W. Bush. 

Golez quoted Arroyo saying "Blair's visit is part of his Asia-Pacific wide tour to assess regional security." 

The American commander's area of responsibility extended from the west coast of the United States to Pakistan, he stressed. 

Pakistan has been deeply drawn into the U.S.-led attacks on Afghanistan as part of a campaign against terrorism launched after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington. 

Golez reiterated that a 16-person group of U.S. military advisers was expected in Manila within three weeks to help the Philippine military in its fight against the Muslim Abu Sayyaf group of separatist rebels. (AFP/Sunnex)