U.S. hostage in RP confirmed killed

U.S. hostage in RP confirmed killed

Philippines: The U.S. Embassy in Manila said on Friday remains found on a southern Philippine island last week were those of a Californian tourist killed by the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas in June.

A Filipino hostage who escaped from the guerrillas said two other Americans, kidnapped along with Guillermo Sobero, were still alive.

The embassy said in a statement the skeletal remains found on Basilan island had been identified by laboratory tests to be those of the 40-year-old Sobero who was on vacation when taken hostage by the Abu Sayyaf in May.

The guerrillas, who have been linked to Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda group, claimed to have beheaded Sobero, from Corona, California, two weeks after they kidnapped him on May 27.

Along with Sobero, they also kidnapped American missionaries Gracia and Martin Burnham and 17 other people from a beach resort in the western Philippines. -Reuters