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Rescued American Hostage to Be Presented to Arroyo
Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will receive in a northern city Friday afternoon American kidnap victim Jeffrey Schilling who was safely rescued by the military from the Abu Sayyaf bandits Thursday.
A presidential press release issued here said Arroyo, along with Defense Secretary Angelo Reyes, top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) led by Chief of Staff Diomedio Villanueva and U.S. Embassy officials will present Schilling to the media at Baguio, the summer capital of the country which is located 195 kilometers north of Manila.
The military plane carrying Schilling form Zamboanga city in South Zamboanga province arrived at a military air base in the vicinity of Baguio Friday morning before proceeding to Baguio.
During his trip to Baguio from Zambianga city, Schilling was accompanied by AFP Southern Command chief, Lt. Gen. Gregorio Camilling, and other AFP officials.
Schilling, who has been held in captivity by the terrorist Abu Sayyaf since August 28, 2000, was rescued by government troops after a brief gun battle at noontime Thursday in a thickly forested area in Luuk, Sulu province.
Villanueva said military operations against the Au Sayyaf will continue "until we eliminated them all."
President Arroyo has earlier declared an all-out war against the Abu Sayyaf.
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