Two Chinese nationals held hostage by Muslim gunmen in the southern Philippines were killed today while one was rescued during a clash between soldiers and the kidnappers, officials said.
The fate of another Chinese national and a Filipino companion, also held by the kidnap gang on the southern island of Mindanao, was not known, army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jose Mabanta told reporters.
"Two of the hostages took advantage of the firing and made a dash to freedom but they were immediately shot by their captors, presidential adviser Mr Jesus Dureza said, quoting a military report.
Mr Dureza said two members of the kidnap gang were killed in the fighting in Sultan Kudarat province on Mindanao island, 800 km south of Manila.
There were no reports of military casualties.
A separate armed group, the Muslim extremist Muslim Abu Sayyaf, has been holding at least two Americans and 16 Filipinos hostage for nearly three months on Basilan island, off Mindanao.
Mr Dureza said the bodies of the two slain Chinese, whom he identified as Sung Zou and Chin Shen, had been recovered. The Chinese who was rescued was identified by the military as Wang Shu Li.
Officials said Wang and the two slain Chinese had come to the Philippines to seek the release of compatriot Zhang Zhung Quiang, an engineer, who was abducted in June while working on an irrigation project on Mindanao.
Together with a Filipino companion, the three Chinese went into the kidnappers' lair on their own initiative on August 12th to hand them a five-million-peso ($98,000) ransom for Zhang's release, Mr Dureza said.