Philippine officials say an Indonesian hostage has swum his way to freedom but another drowned while a Malaysian captive was shot in the back while escaping their militant captors.
Regional military spokesman Lt. Col. Gerry Besana said Saturday the two Indonesians and the Malaysian captive separately escaped while marines were attempting to rescue them on Simusa island in southern Sulu province.
Besana says a marine plucked one of the Indonesians, Heri Ardiansyah, from the waters and recovered his companion, Hariadin, who drowned. Three Abu Sayyaf captors were gunned down.
Besana says the Malaysian, Jari Bin Abudullah, was shot by Abu Sayyaf militants when he ran away Thursday as marines tried to rescue him and engaged his captors in a gunbattle.
