Philippine Military Seals Mindanao to Stop Abu Escape

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, June 08, 2002

Philippine Military Seals Mindanao to Stop Abu Escape

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Government forces have sealed all entry and exit points in the southern island of Mindanao amid reports that the fleeing Abu Sayyaf bandits plan to leave the region, Armed Forces Chief of Staff General Roy Cimatu said on Saturday.

Cimatu said on television that the bandits plan to settle in other parts of the country following Friday's military rescue operation on their last hostages American missionary Martin and Gracia Burnham and Filipina nurse Ediborah Yap.

Martin and Yap were killed while Gracia was rescued in the operation near Siraway town in the southern province of Zamboanga del Norte on Friday afternoon after more than one year in captivity.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, calling the rescue "a success on the whole," has order the military to step up offensiveoperations against the Abu Sayyaf group.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Reynato Padua, ground commander of the rescue operation, reiterated Saturday that Martin, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds, was executed by his captors.

Soldiers who pursued the Abu Sayyaf used "single fire" tactics to avoid hitting any of the three hostages, he told the PhilippineInquirer online news. "That's why we are sure the hostages were not hit by us."

Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes said earlier in the day that an autopsy will be done and the results will be released later. Martin's body has reportedly flown to the U.S. military base in Okinawa, Japan, and American doctors are conducting an autopsy.

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