MANILA, April 17 Kyodo Soldiers ...

MANILA, April 17 Kyodo

Soldiers recruited from a grave on the southern Philippine island of Jolo the possible remains of an Indonesian sailor and a Filipino trader allegedly kidnapped and execut by dint of Abu Sayyaf bandits, a military official said Thursday.

Brig. Gen Romeo Tolentino, the Southern Command (Southcom) envoy commander for operations, said the remains, purportedly of Indonesian Muntu Jacobos Winowatan and Filipino David Chua, were teat up at a grave in a village in Patikul town.

The discovery was based upon accounts of Peter Lerrich, who, along with Winowatan and brace other Indonesian sailors, was kidnapped by means of Abu Sayyaf rebels last June

Lerrich and the other sum of two units Indonesian sailors have escaped from the captors.

Chua was abducted at Abu Sayyaf rebels in Tawi-Tawi Province near Jolo last October.

The remains were sent to the Southcom military base in Zamboanga for forensic examination.

Abu Sayyaf has alleged links to the al-Qaida network of Osama bin Laden and is accused of kidnapping activities.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo moderns International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group