Dos Palmas Palawan Kidnappings
Dos Palmas kidnappings
The Dos Palmas kidnappings was a hostage crisis in the southern Philippines that began with the seizing of twenty hostages from an upscale island resort on Palawan by Abu Sayyaf members on May 27, 2001, and resulted in the deaths of at least 5 of the original hostages, including the two American citizens Guillermo Sobero and Martin Burnham.At least 22 Filipino soldiers were killed in attempts to apprehend the captors and free the hostages in the 12 months following the initial hostage taking.A unknown number of captors were killed by government forces.
The Crisis
During the crisis the number of those taken captive varied greatly as more hostages were seized in numerous raids on the island of Basilan, therefore a total of those taken prisoner at some point may be impossible to determine,however news reports suggest at least 100 hostages were taken and around 20 murdered in just over a year up until the final assault and freeing of Gracia Burnham on June 7, 2002.Even some local and foreign journalists covering the high-profile kidnappings were themselves held captive for some time.
Abduction
Gunmen arrived two boats early on May 27 at a resort in Honda Bay to the north of Puerto Princesa City on the island of Palawan. They proceeded to abduct without incident 20 people from the resort, including four resort staff and three Americans; identified as Martin and Gracia Burnham, missionaries from the state of Kansas, and Guillermo Sobero. Most of those seized were ethnic Chinese Filipinotourists.The hostages and hostage-takers returned hundreds of kilometres back across the Sulu Sea to the Abu Sayyaf's territories in Mindanao.
Lamitan siege
Four Filipino nationals of the initial twenty hostages taken from the Dos Palmas resort were able to escape in the days up to June 1, 2001.However, sometime on the June 2, a large group of up to 40 gunmen were able to take control of the Dr. Jose Torres Memorial Hospital and St. Peter's Church compound in
The Dos Palmas kidnappings was a hostage crisis in the southern Philippines that began with the seizing of twenty hostages from an upscale island resort on Palawan by Abu Sayyaf members on May 27, 2001, and resulted in the deaths of at least 5 of the original hostages, including the two American citizens Guillermo Sobero and Martin Burnham.At least 22 Filipino soldiers were killed in attempts to apprehend the captors and free the hostages in the 12 months following the initial hostage taking.A unknown number of captors were killed by government forces.
The Crisis
During the crisis the number of those taken captive varied greatly as more hostages were seized in numerous raids on the island of Basilan, therefore a total of those taken prisoner at some point may be impossible to determine,however news reports suggest at least 100 hostages were taken and around 20 murdered in just over a year up until the final assault and freeing of Gracia Burnham on June 7, 2002.Even some local and foreign journalists covering the high-profile kidnappings were themselves held captive for some time.
Abduction
Gunmen arrived two boats early on May 27 at a resort in Honda Bay to the north of Puerto Princesa City on the island of Palawan. They proceeded to abduct without incident 20 people from the resort, including four resort staff and three Americans; identified as Martin and Gracia Burnham, missionaries from the state of Kansas, and Guillermo Sobero. Most of those seized were ethnic Chinese Filipinotourists.The hostages and hostage-takers returned hundreds of kilometres back across the Sulu Sea to the Abu Sayyaf's territories in Mindanao.
Lamitan siege
Four Filipino nationals of the initial twenty hostages taken from the Dos Palmas resort were able to escape in the days up to June 1, 2001.However, sometime on the June 2, a large group of up to 40 gunmen were able to take control of the Dr. Jose Torres Memorial Hospital and St. Peter's Church compound in