Philippine security forces are conducting house-to-house searches in southern Jolo island for Abu Sayyaf guerillas with 17 hostages who may have taken refuge among the civilian population, AFP reporters saw.
An army company conducted a dusk to dawn search of the heavily populated district of Busbos on the outskirts of Jolo's provincial capital late Saturday and arrested seven men who could not provide proof of residence, they said.
The troops knocked on the doors of a number of pre-selected houses and searched the premises for unlicensed guns and suspected Muslim guerrillas.
It was unclear if any guns were found, but seven men were seen being led away by troops who later motored to an army brigade camp.
Residents said the troops asked the menfolk for taxpayer identification cards, driver's licenses or other forms of identification.
Several hundred Jolo residents lined up outside the Jolo municipal hall early Monday, the first working day after the Saturday night raid, to secure residence certificates.
President Joseph Estrada sent more than 4,000 soldiers and police into Jolo on September 16 to rescue 19 hostages including three Malaysians, two Frenchmen and an American.
The two Frenchmen were recovered last week but the ground commander of the mission warned Monday that securing the rest would be "difficult."
Brigadier General Narciso Abaya said the rebels' death toll has risen to 103 with only one military fatality. More than 36,000 civilians were displaced but there have been no civilian deaths, he added.
Communications lines to Jolo have been largely cut off since the military operation was launched on September 16. The limited fixed telephone lines on the island are opened for several hours daily but calls are difficult to book -- JOLO, Philippines (AFP)
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