Bad weather hampers rescue of hostages in Basilan

ISABELA, Basilan - Bad weather, rough terrain and land mines continue to hamper military efforts to rescue 27 hostages held by the Muslim extremist group Abu Sayyaf.

"We knew that this would not be a walk in the park, but the fighting continues," Army spokesman Col. Rafael Romero said.

Military officials had earlier expected that the Abu Sayyaf's Camp Abdurajak on Mt. Punoh Mohadje would be overrun and the hostages, 22 of them children, rescued either yesterday or today.

But the area is exceptionally rough and the routes leading to the Abu Sayyaf hideout are littered with improvised land mines, according to Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes.

One Army soldier, Cpl. Armando Villanueva of the 4th Scout Ranger Battalion, was seriously injured when he tripped a land mine while trying to help a wounded comrade in Isabela town.

He and his comrade were brought to the military's Southern Command hospital in Zamboanga City.

The military launched an attack against the Abu Sayyaf last weekend after a local committee gave up negotiating with the rebels for the release of the hostages.

The rebels said they have beheaded two of their hostages after the United States and the Philippine government rejected the Abu Sayyaf's demand to release three Muslim terrorists jailed in the US.

One of the terrorists was Ramzi Yousef, the man responsible for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

The Abu Sayyaf had threatened to behead more hostages if the military does not back off. They have also threatened to kidnap and kill Americans in the country.