Local,foreign guests flee from RP kidnap island

Local,foreign guests flee from RP kidnap island

ARRECIFE, Philippines (AFP): Dozens of foreign and local
guests fled an upmarket resort in this western Philippine island
on Monday, grateful they were spared by Muslim guerrillas who
kidnapped 20 other people.

Police and soldiers who landed after Sunday's raid now
outnumber the 39 remaining tourists at the 20-hectare coral
outcrop off the large island of Palawan, officials said.

Thirty-four guests left the tropical paradise of Dos Palmas
within two hours Monday. Among them was a French doctor assigned
with France's mission in Manila, who was fetched by a French navy
helicopter with her husband and two children, Tourism Secretary
Richard Gordon told AFP.

Journalists allowed onto the island saw deserted white-sand
beaches and guest cottages surrounded by manicured lawns, flower
beds and coconut groves. Soldiers or police armed with assault
rifles guarded the 50 guest cottages.

There were no tourists in sight except for four Filipino
guests apparently on their way to the beach.

"It doesn't mean that they (kidnappers) have won. I am certain
that we can rebound," Gordon said.

Abu Sabaya, a spokesman for the Abu Sayyaf Muslim rebel group,
said in an interview over local television Monday that they had
kidnapped the 20 people and were hiding them in the southern
islands of Basilan and Sulu.

President Gloria Arroyo is setting up a special task force "to
ensure the security of all the country's resort areas" following
the Dos Palmas raid, her spokesman said.

Dos Palmas resort official Allan Fabian said all the guests
were asked whether they wanted to leave, he said.

A reporter of ABS-CBN television who was at the resort during
the kidnapping said in an interview that she only learned about
the incident in the morning when she asked for a boat to go
snorkling and was told that armed men had destroyed the boats.

Fabian said although there have been no cancellations of
bookings, which include a World Bank delegation due to arrive
here on May 31, the resort was now "discouraging" further
reservations.

The hotel charges 10,000 pesos ($200) for a two-night stay in
one of the regular rooms.

He described the kidnappers' operation as "swift and precise"
even though they were apparently unfamiliar with the island and
forced two local fishermen to guide them here. The fishermen were
later freed.

In 30 minutes they overpowered two security guards at the
wharf, disabled the island's radio communication system, gathered
up captives and slipped away without a single shot being fired to
alert 13 other guards on duty elsewhere on the island.

"They chose the guests at the eight cottages at the bay and
left the area 30 minutes later," military spokesman Brig. Gen.
Edilberto Adan said in Manila.

Gordon said the U.S. advisory was expected but put a positive
spin to it, saying it only focused on the areas where the
violence occurred and not the country as a whole.

"The quicker we resolve this issue, the quicker this advisory
will be lifted," Gordon said.

The kidnappings came just days after another armed group
raided an upper-class resort in Samal island off the southern
city of Davao. Two resort workers were killed there.