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Philippine troops rescue kidnapped students in Mindanao
21/4/2005 17:06

Philippine troops have rescued 13 students several hours after they were kidnapped Thursday morning by a group of bandits in Piagapo town in Lanao del Sur, Mindanao, the military said.
A firefight between the bandits and the military during the rescue operation resulted in the killing of a policeman.
Brig. Gen. Amando Melo Jr, commander of the 1st Marine Brigade, said fighting were still ongoing against the 10-man kidnapping group in the jungles of Piagapo since the firefight erupted shortly after noon.
"The firefight is still ongoing but we have already recovered all the 13 hostages," said Melo of the 13 victims who were on their way to the Mindanao State University in Marawi City to take the entrance examinations.
Brig. Gen. Ben Dolorpino, commander of the 2nd Marine Brigade, said one of the policemen tasked to help the Marines pursue the suspects died in the clash. He couldn't say the enemy's casualty figures, saying the firefight were still ongoing.
The 13 victims are part of the original 21 hostages seized by at least six suspects while on board a passenger jeep along a highway in Barangay Ini, Saguiran town, also in Lanao del Sur at around 07:30 a.m. local time.
The suspects commandeered the jeep towards Piagapo, where they released six of the hostages, including the driver and a certain Mrs. Bernal, 54. During initial pursuit operation, two more hostages were recovered by the military.
"It's a mountainous area," said Dolorfino, describing the site of the clash where the 13 remaining hostages were rescued. The Marine general also described the condition of the 13 rescued hostages as "very safe."
Lt. Col. Buenaventura Pascual said two of the suspects boarded the jeep in Iligan where the vehicle came from. In Siguiran, four more suspects boarded again, after which the six suspects declared a heist.
"Initially, the angle we looked at was robbery but when the suspects took the victims to Piagapo, we declared it as kidnapping, " said Pascual, adding that four more suspects joined the six kidnappers in Piagapo.



Xinhua