Extremists Kill 15 in Philippines
Followers of a Muslim extremist massacred at least 15 people Wednesday and took others hostage after waylaying a civilian convoy on a southern island.
In another southern city, a bomb exploded at a department store, killing two sidewalk vendors and a pedestrian and injuring 34 people.
Lt. Gen. Orlando Soriano said the bombing in General Santos City was apparently carried out by Muslim fundamentalists to avenge last week’s military operation against them.
In a note to military commanders, President Fidel V. Ramos ordered an “all-out offensive and law enforcement actions against the perpetrators, but consider the safe recovery” of the hostages.
Soriano said 15 bodies were recovered from the massacre site in Upper Kapayawan, a village on Basilan island.
He said the gunmen were holding a priest and 15 other hostages, mostly women teachers and hospital workers, all Christians.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
