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Two French journalists escape from Philippine rebels |
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September 21, 2000
MANILA (AP) - Two French television journalists held hostage by Muslim rebels for 2 1/2 months left the Philippines Wednesday after crediting their escape to a military assault on the guerrillas. The attack by thousands of elite troops on the Abu Sayyaf had been strongly criticized by French President Jacques Chirac for endangering the lives of the rebels' 19 hostages. Philippine President Joseph Estrada beamed as he introduced the journalists at a news conference, an arm around each, as a vindication of his decision to use force. "As you can see for yourself, these two gentlemen are in good shape," he said. The two journalists - Jean-Jacques Le Garrec and Roland Madura of France-2 television - were the first of the hostages to be recovered since Estrada launched the military assault Saturday on remote Jolo island. The journalists, taken captive on July 9 when then visited a rebel camp to interview other hostages, said they escaped Tuesday evening and hid overnight in a jungle while the guerrillas were fleeing from the military. "We took the opportunity of the military pressure," Le Garrec said. The two slipped aside in the darkness as the rebels were rushing to cross a road, he said. After hiding, they ran down the road and then spent the night in the jungle, he said. At dawn, they flagged down a military truck and were taken to safety, Le Garrec said. Philippine officials had earlier said the military rescued the two hostages after a clash with the rebels. Both of the former hostages smiled as they spoke in the news conference at the presidential palace in Manila, where they were flown from Jolo. "It's been two and a half long months for us, but we feel very good," Le Garrec said. "Of course we are very happy today and we are in a good shape, as you may judge, for people who have not been sleeping for some nights." President Joseph Estrada earlier told DZMM radio that an American hostage, Jeffrey Schilling, had also been spotted and troops hoped to rescue him later Wednesday. But there was no word of any rescue as of Wednesday evening. Schilling, who majored in Near East studies at the University of California at Berkeley and converted to Islam in 1994, visited an Abu Sayyaf camp on Aug. 28 and was reportedly abducted after an argument over religion and politics with the rebels. The rebels also are holding three Malaysians, a Filipino kidnapped from a Malaysian diving resort in April, and 12 Filipino Christian evangelists. The rebels had earlier threatened to attack southern cities and behead Schilling to retaliate for any military assault. Early Wednesday, a bomb exploded on a passenger ferry shortly after it arrived at nearby Zamboanga city, killing at least one person and injuring six others, two critically, officials said. The military said it suspects Muslim rebels were responsible. Military officials said the bomber apparently posed as a porter and boarded the ferry after it docked at Zamboanga. The man was killed in the explosion, they said. On Tuesday, police arrested two suspected Abu Sayyaf members in Zamboanga believed to be members of an explosives team. A third journalist for France-2 television, Maryse Burgot, was freed by the rebels in late August. Le Garrec said the group had visited the rebel camp to interview French hostages using the same guide employed by other journalists who had successfully returned. "If we were not sure 100 percent that we could do that trip up and down, we would not have gone there, of course," he said. He said they were still unsure whether they had been tricked by the guide or by the rebels. The Abu Sayyaf have kidnapped scores of people since March. Most have been released, with Libya and Malaysia reportedly paying more than dlrs 15 million for 19 foreigners. Reversing earlier comments, Estrada said Wednesday he would order a halt to the assault if the rebels free all their captives. "If they will release the 17 hostages, I will immediately order a cease-fire," he said. Seven rebels have been killed and 20 captured in the five days of fighting, while six government troops were wounded, military officials said. At least four civilians have been killed and thousands of others have fled the fighting. Estrada's decision to attack the rebels after nearly five months of negotiations has been widely supported by Filipinos. Estrada called Chirac early Wednesday to inform him of the journalists' rescue. Chirac "expressed great pleasure and gratitude" and invited Estrada to make a state visit to France this year, presidential Press Secretary Ricardo Puno said. In Paris, Chirac said he personally notified the hostages' families. "All through these weeks of uncertainty, we have shared their suffering and that of their families," he said in a statement. "It's with joy and relief that France welcomes their liberation." |
