A group of kidnapped tourists pleaded for their lives, as the Philippines army fought an intense battle with the Muslim guerrillas who are holding them hostage on the tropical island of Basilan, between the Philippines island of Mindanao and Malaysian Borneo.
The Abu Sayyaf Group, which has 17 Filipino and three
American captives, said that two of them had been killed after the attack by Filipino soldiers, and threatened to execute more of them if it continued.
The claim could not be confirmed. "The soldiers thought they were rebels like us," one of the Abu Sayaf commanders told a radio station in the Philippines via satellite phone.
"Maybe we will stage an execution."
Gunfire could be heard in the background and at one point the voice of a Filipino hostage, Teresa Ganzon, came on the line.
"We are appealing to the government on behalf of the other hostages, please refrain from military action," she said.
"There are children with us ... I beg of you to please consider, to sit down on the negotiating table and try and find a way to get everybody out safely."
- INDEPENDENT
