菲律宾叛军仍扣押20多名人质-英语课

时间：2019-01-31 作者：英语课 分类：VOA2001-国际风云（1）

英语课

Philippine Rebels Still Holding More Than 20 Hostages

Kristina Luz

Manila

16 Jun 2001 20:48 UTC

Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines have released three 1)hostages. The Abu Sayyaf rebel group is still holding more than two dozen 2)captives. Three Americans are among those seized last month. A local official says a rebel leader was killed in 3)clashes with government forces.

Two hostages and a Muslim cleric walked out of the 4)jungles of Basilan Island to freedom. Kimberly Jao and Francis Ganzon were flown to Manila Saturday to meet with President Gloria Arroyo 1.

They were among a group of hostages seized by the Abu Sayyaf rebels last month from a resort on Palawan Island. The 5)cleric was a 6)volunteer negotiator from the area, who was seized a few days ago.

Francis Ganzon said in an interview with the Radio Mindanao Network that he and Ms. Jao were released because they were the youngest and the oldest in the group. Ms. Jao's mother escaped two weeks ago, along with Mr. Ganzon's wife and seven other 7)hostages. Newspaper reports said the families of the two paid ransoms 2 for their release, something the Philippine government has refused to do. Officials could not confirm those reports.

Mr. Ganzon told the radio he had not seen one of the American hostages, Guillermo Sobero, for several days. But he could not confirm claims by the rebels that they had killed him. No body has been found. Mr. Ganzon said another American hostage, Martin Burnham, a missionary 3 kidnapped with his wife, was injured during clashes between the rebels and government forces two weeks ago. Government officials could not confirm that.

Meanwhile, a local leader on Basilan Island said he had confirmation 4 that Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani was killed in clashes with government forces.

The government has rejected rebel demands that it 8)withdraw its forces from Basilan Island, and has vowed 5 to continue its campaign against the rebels and the search for the hostages.

The rebels 9)kidnapped three Americans and 17 Filipinos from a 10)resort last month, and later took several more hostages from a hospital on Basilan Island after clashes with government troops. Nine h

38 菲律宾叛军仍扣押20多名人质

Philippine Rebels Still Holding More Than 20 Hostages

Kristina Luz

Manila

16 Jun 2001 20:48 UTC

Two hostages and a Muslim cleric walked out of the 4)jungles of Basilan Island to freedom. Kimberly Jao and Francis Ganzon were flown to Manila Saturday to meet with President Gloria Arroyo.

They were among a group of hostages seized by the Abu Sayyaf rebels last month from a resort on Palawan Island. The 5)cleric was a 6)volunteer negotiator from the area, who was seized a few days ago.

Francis Ganzon said in an interview with the Radio Mindanao Network that he and Ms. Jao were released because they were the youngest and the oldest in the group. Ms. Jao's mother escaped two weeks ago, along with Mr. Ganzon's wife and seven other 7)hostages. Newspaper reports said the families of the two paid ransoms for their release, something the Philippine government has refused to do. Officials could not confirm those reports.

Mr. Ganzon told the radio he had not seen one of the American hostages, Guillermo Sobero, for several days. But he could not confirm claims by the rebels that they had killed him. No body has been found. Mr. Ganzon said another American hostage, Martin Burnham, a missionary kidnapped with his wife, was injured during clashes between the rebels and government forces two weeks ago. Government officials could not confirm that.

Meanwhile, a local leader on Basilan Island said he had confirmation that Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffy Janjalani was killed in clashes with government forces.

The government has rejected rebel demands that it 8)withdraw its forces from Basilan Island, and has vowed to continue its campaign against the rebels and the search for the hostages.