Manila - The Philippine military said Thursday that it was pulling back troops away from Muslim militants holding captive three international Red Cross staff on a southern island after the kidnappers threatened to behead one of the hostages.
A leader of the Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebels also promised to a Philippine Red Cross official to free one of the hostages if government forces move away from their encampment in Indanan town on Jolo island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila.
Manila - Three international Red Cross staff held captive by Muslim militants in the southern Philippines are still alive and unharmed after deadly clashes between their captors and government troops, a local Red Cross official said Wednesday.
Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, said all reports from Jolo island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, indicate that none of the hostages were hurt in the fighting since Monday.
Manila - The Philippines' unemployment rate rose to 7.7 per cent in January as tens of thousands of Filipinos lost their jobs or failed to find work amid the global economic crisis, the government said Tuesday.
The National Statistics Office said the January unemployment rate was up from the 7.4 per cent recorded in the same month last year.
The actual number of jobless people increased to 2.85 million in January from 2.67 million a year ago, according to the agency.
Manila - Remittances from overseas Filipinos rose a mere 0.1 per cent in January as the global economic crisis plunged many countries into recession, the government said Monday.
Central bank governor Amando Tetangco said remittances in January reached 1.265 billion dollars, barely higher than 1.264 billion dollars sent home in the same month last year.
Manila - Fighting erupted Monday between Philippine troops and Muslim militants holding captive three international Red Cross staff on a southern island, wounding the leader of the kidnappers, the military said.
The fighting erupted when the Abu Sayyaf rebels tried to break through a cordon of government soldiers in Indanan town on Jolo island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila.
Manila - The Philippine military said Thursday that it was pulling back troops away from Muslim militants holding captive three international Red Cross staff on a southern island after the kidnappers threatened to behead one of the hostages.
Manila - Three international Red Cross staff held captive by Muslim militants in the southern Philippines are still alive and unharmed after deadly clashes between their captors and government troops, a local Red Cross official said Wednesday.
Manila - Remittances from overseas Filipinos rose a mere 0.1 per cent in January as the global economic crisis plunged many countries into recession, the government said Monday.
Manila - Fighting erupted Monday between Philippine troops and Muslim militants holding captive three international Red Cross staff on a southern island, wounding the leader of the kidnappers, the military said.
