MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine military took to the air and sea in search of two dozen gunmen who raided an upscale resort Sunday and fled by boat with about 20 hostages, including three American tourists.
As darkness fell, fears were growing of a repeat of the prolonged hostage crisis last year that received worldwide attention and battered the Philippines’ image.
After storming the Dos Palmas Island Resort at dawn, the kidnappers headed south, either toward islands that are home to Muslim extremists who seized foreigners 13 months ago or toward Malaysia, which offered the Philippines its cooperation in the matter.
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo dispatched her military chief of staff, Diomedio Villanueva, to direct the search-and-rescue effort from Palawan Island, a short boat ride from the resort, and ships and planes fanned out over the Mindanao Sea.
Mr. Villanueva said officials believed they knew who the kidnappers were, but he would not identify them. Speculation has focused on Abu Sayyaf, the Islamic rebel group that raided a Malaysian tourist resort and took 10 foreign tourists hostage on April 23, 2000. All those hostages have since been freed, some reportedly for large ransoms paid by Libya.
Ms. Arroyo ordered “all-out war” on Abu Sayyaf in early April, but military officials said the separatist organization has regrouped.
Ms. Arroyo’s spokesman, Rigoberto Tiglao, said there would be no negotiations or ransom.
The kidnappings took place at the Dos Palmas resort at Honda Bay in Palawan province, about 375 miles southwest of Manila. Military officials said two dozen men in ski masks took guests and resort staffers at gunpoint in a raid that lasted about 15 minutes. The guests were believed to include 13 Chinese Filipinos, three Americans and at least one child.
Two of the Americans were identified as Martin and Gracia Burnham, missionaries from Wichita, Kan., who have lived in the Philippines since 1986 and have been working for the New Tribes Mission of Sanford, Fla., said Tim Grossman, who was at the organization’s Manila office Sunday.
The couple flew to the resort on Saturday for their 18th wedding anniversary. Their three children – Jeffrey, 14, Melinda, 11, and Zachary, 10 – also are in the Philippines.
The other American was identified as Guillermo Sobero of Corona, Calif., whose 40th birthday is Tuesday.
The State Department on Sunday cautioned Americans that traveling in certain areas of the Philippines was unsafe and urged them to exercise caution.
