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Armed mountain tribesmen raided an elementary school and nearby
homes in the troubled southern Philippines and were holding at
least 57 people hostage to keep police at bay, authorities
said.
The raid was carried out less than three weeks after a massacre in
a nearby province in which 57 people were killed, throwing an
unwelcome spotlight on the Southeast Asian nation and raising
tensions ahead of presidential elections next year.
The hostages were being held in a mountainous area near the town of
Prosperidad in Agusan del Sur province. Police said the gunmen had
seized 75 people, but later freed 18, including all 17
children.
Authorities described the gunmen as former members of a civilian
milita who had taken to banditry. Some officials said they could
have taken hostages because they were being pursued by police after
a gunbattle with a rival tribal group on Wednesday.
Other officials said the group was demanding the dropping of cases
against them, action against the rival group and media
coverage.
Lino Calingasan, regional police chief, said all remaining hostages
were adults.
"Negotiations are ongoing. We are trying to find out how the others
can be released," he said. "It is a good signal, that they are
willing to negotiate. We are hoping this will be resolved
peacefully."
Negotiators had left the mountain site to return to town and would
resume talks on Friday, officials said.
Last month, 57 people, including 30 journalists, were killed after
being stopped at a checkpoint in Maguindanao province while on
their way to file a candidate's nomination for elections.
Crackdown, martial law
The killings prompted a crackdown in the generally lawless southern
Philippines and the imposition of martial law in Maguindanao last
week.
Bandits, communist guerrillas and Islamic rebels operate widely
throughout Mindanao - a southern island and region which contains
Maguindanao. In addition, powerful local families maintain large
private armies and feuding among them is common.
Clan rivalry was at the root of last month's massacre.
The government has armed many villagers and formed civilian
militias to counter the communist and Muslim rebels. Analysts say
clan wars pose a threat to a fragile four-year truce between the
government and Muslim separatists.
Studies funded by the Asia Foundation and the US Agency for
International Development found there had been more than 1,200 clan
feuds in the south since the 1930s, killing nearly 5,000 people and
displacing tens of thousands.
The army dispatched troops to help tackle the situation in
Prosperidad, Lieutenant General Raymundo Ferrer said.
"We've sent troops to help rescue the hostages," Ferrer told
Reuters. He said the gunmen had been blamed for several robberies
and killings in the area.
"We are not aware of any political demands but negotiations are now
ongoing to free the hostages that include two forest rangers and
some of the parents who were in the school at that time. We're only
playing a support role there."
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