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MANILA: The Abu Sayyaf's longest-held hostage had escaped from the extremist group following a gunbattle between Philippine marines and his captors, a military spokesman said on Friday. Roland Ulah escaped on Wednesday after more than three years in captivity in the confusion of the clash outside Patikul town on southern Jolo island, Lt Col Daniel Lucero said. One marine and an undetermined number of guerrillas were killed and 11 other soldiers were injured, he added. Lucero said that Ulah hid in a ravine and was found by local villagers the following day when he asked for directions to get to...

PHILIPPINE soldiers have recovered headless remains believed to be those of an Indonesian sailor and a Filipino trader who were taken hostage and reportedly killed by Abu Sayyaf guerrillas on southern Jolo island, officials said today. The remains were found buried in a shallow grave in the jungle village of Panglayahan in Patikul town, 940 kilometres south of Manila. Another Indonesian hostage who managed to escape from his captors last week helped the military find the remains. Indonesian Pieter Lerrich told reporters after his escape that he understood that his colleague Munto Jacobus Winowatan had been killed by the guerrillas....

MANILA (Reuters) - Rescued American hostage Gracia Burnham said on Monday before flying home to the United States that Muslim guerrillas in the Philippines who kept her hostage for more than a year should be brought to justice. "During our ordeal, we were repeatedly lied to by the Abu Sayyaf and they are not men of honor. They should be treated as common criminals. We support all efforts of the government in bringing these men to justice," Gracia Burnham said, with tears glistening in her eyes and her voice trembling. She was rescued in southern Zamboanga del Norte province on...