Militants kill 3 hostages in southern Philippines; soldiers kill 2 gunmen

Militants kill 3 hostages in southern Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Al-Qaida-linked militants fatally shot three abducted rubber farm workers after their families failed to pay a ransom, the military said Saturday.

The victims’ bullet-riddled bodies were found by residents in a village outside Sumisip township on the island of Basilan, a stronghold of Abu Sayyaf militants, Basilan military commander Brig. Gen. Eugenio Clement said.

Gunmen led by senior Abu Sayyaf commander Furuji Indama seized the three men from a passenger minibus on May 27. They demanded 3 million pesos ($64,000) in ransom from their families, who are too poor to raise the amount, Clement said.

The abductions came two weeks after troops raided an Abu Sayyaf camp, killing a militant and capturing 14 others.

Elite army Scout Rangers, who have been pursuing the kidnappers, clashed with a group of Abu Sayyaf gunmen in Sumisip on Friday, killing two militants, army spokesman Maj. Ronald Jess Alcudia said. Two soldiers and two militants also were wounded, he said.

The Abu Sayyaf is a small but violent group suspected of having received training and funds from al-Qaida that has evaded U.S.-backed military offensives. The U.S. has blacklisted it as a terrorist group because of deadly bombings, kidnappings and beheadings over the last two decades.