October 9, 2000, The Manila Bulletin, Troops press search,

October 9, 2000, The Manila Bulletin, Troops press search,

ZAMBOANGA CITY (AFP) -- Government troops yesterday swept through remote jungle areas in southern Jolo island in search of Abu Sayyaf Muslim extremists holding five Malaysian, American, and Filipino hostages.

But 23 days after the start of a crackdown ordered by President Joseph Estrada, Abu Sayyaf leaders are proving to be elusive in a catand-mouse game with pursuing troops, military officials admitted.

"We can make this all over before the end of December," armed forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes told reporters during a visit to the military's southern headquarters here.

Southern command chief Lt. Gen. Diomedo Villanueva said troops were scouring the towns of Talipao, Maimbung, and Patikul yesterday, two days after the government bombed rebel positions to flush out Abu Sayyaf remnants.

On Saturday, the military said there had been sightings of American hostage Jeffrey Schilling and Malaysians Kan Wei Chong, Joseph Ongkinoh, and Mohamed Noor Sulaiman and their captors but there was no news of a fifth victim, Filipino Roland Ullah.

The military also said it had widened its search to include islands near Jolo after one Abu Sayyaf member was arrested last week in Tawi-Tawi island group in the southernmost tip of the country and about 30 minutes by boat from Malaysia.

Villanueva said the Abu Sayyaf threat "has been contained," claiming that the group had suffered 129 deaths since the blitz began on Sept. 16. He said the recovery of caches of weapons and equipment left behind by the rebels was also "a good sign."

"They are low on food, no medicine and they have been on the run," Villanueva said. "They have nowhere to go except to the recesses of the jungle."

Some "prominent leaders" of the Abu Sayyaf have sent surrender feelers through an unidentified local official in Jolo, Villanueva said.