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Abu Sayyaf Guerrillas Seize 16 Filipino Hostages in Raid on Village
A band of Muslim extremist guerrillas raided a southern Philippine village and seized 16 Filipinos, including four children, a police chief said Friday.
Abu Sayyaf militants swooped down Thursday night on the village of Balugo on the island of Basilan and took the people hostage, Basilan provincial Police Chief Ahmadulla Pangambayan said.
Authorities were investigating reports that a school and several houses were burned in the attack and that one of the abducted people was a relative of Inocente Ramos, mayor of the nearby town of Lamitan, who is staunchly opposed to the Abu Sayyaf, Pangambayan said
The Abu Sayyaf, a group thought to number a total 1,100 fighters with their stronghold on Basilan island, had already been holding about 20 other hostages, including at least two Americans seized in May.
There was no indication the militants intended on holding the new hostages for any extended time along with the captives they already have been keeping hidden in the jungles of Basilan. Abu Sayyaf has in the past seized local people and held them just briefly.
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