THE military rescued early Sunday morning the two children who were kidnapped on September 16 by a neophyte kidnap-for-ransom group believed to have links with the Abu Sayyaf Group in Patikul, Sulu.

                Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, spokesman for the Marine Corps, said troops from Marine Battalion Landing Team 6 (MLBT-6), led by Lt. Col. Jimmy Larida, stormed three houses and rescued brothers Benedict, 3, and Ben Austine Doyolan, 2, at about 4:30 a.m. in barangay Anuling.

                The soldiers also arrested two of the alleged kidnappers identified as Jamiri Jalisan and Julmina Hatea.

                But Hajal Hatea, the alleged leader of the group, was able to escape arrest during the assault.

                The kidnappers seized the two children in front of their house in barangay Kakuyagan.

                After five days of negotiating with the kidnappers, who demanded a P1- million ransom, businessman Benedicto Doyolan and wife Elena decided to seek help from the military after the kidnappers threatened to behead the two children if ransom were not paid.

                Arevalo said the suspected kidnappers have been turned over to the police for investigation and filing of charges. --Z. Solmerin and B. Garcia Jr.

‘Bravo has no more place to hide’

ZAMBOANGA CITY—A ranking military official here said rogue Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Abdulrahman Macapaar, alias Commander Bravo, and his men have no more place to hide.

GSIS hit for ‘secretive’ foreign investments

THE Trade Union Congress of the Philippines on Sunday slammed the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for its alleged “absolute lack of transparency with respect to its investments overseas.”

Dengue cases down by 4.7%

FROM 24,299 dengue patients who were admitted to different sentinel hospitals during the first seven months of last year, the Department of Health (DOH) reported that dengue cases decreased by 4.7 percent, or a total of 23,150, during the same period this year.

Marines rescue 2 children, arrest 2 kidnappers

THE military rescued early Sunday morning the two children who were kidnapped on September 16 by a neophyte kidnap-for-ransom group believed to have links with the Abu Sayyaf Group in Patikul, Sulu.

OSG presses dismissal of cases vs Limkaichong

THE Office of Solicitor General (OSG) has reiterated the position that the petitions seeking to nullify the proclamation of Lakas Rep. Jocelyn Limkaichong of Negros Oriental on the ground that she is not a natural-born Filipino citizen should be dismissed.

Piracy charges prepared vs architecture, design firms

NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents simultaneously raided the offices of two architecture and design companies and found allegedly pirated computer software in the companies’ computers, it was learned on Sunday.