From the Philippine Inquirer:
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ZAMBOANGA – US hostage Martin Burnham and Filipina nurse Ediborah Yap were killed but Burnham's wife, Gracia, was freed in a military rescue attempt in Siraway, Zamboanga del Norte, Armed Forces chief Gen. Roy Cimatu said on Friday.
Sporadic hostilities are still ongoing, Lt. Gen. Narciso Abaya said in a television interview.
The Armed Forces has sent more troops from the Army and the Marines to beef up its cordon around Siraway and neighboring towns in Zamboanga del Norte to prevent remnants of the Abu Sayyaf bandits from escaping, an official said.
"We have deployed additional troops to prevent them from getting away Zamboanga del Norte," Southern Command spokesperson Lt. Col. Danilo Servando told radio dzBB.
The radio report also noted an increased presence of American soldiers, participating in the ongoing Balikatan 02-1 exercises, in the encounter site but did not say if they would directly take part in the battle.
A military ground commander, Army Scout Rangers Col. Renato Padua, told Agence France Presse said that no US troops were involved in the rescue attempt.
Agence France Presse quoted him saying that Kansas native Martin Burnham, 42, "was executed by the Abu Sayyaf rebels" when they realized that a rescue attempt was underway.
Abaya said government troops recovered the "three victims" from the encounter, and found Martin Burnham dead, and Gracia Burnham and Ediborah Yap wounded. Yap later expired while being treated at the hospital, Abaya said.
Gracia Burnham was hit in the right leg and is currently under treatment at the Armed Forces Southern Command hospital. Government doctors said she was out of danger.
The rescue attempt, part of a planned military operation, was mounted at 2:30 P.M Friday. Conflicting reports placed government casualties at seven either killed or wounded and four members of the Abu Sayyaf killed.
