JOLO ISLAND, Philippines (24 Oct 2000) -- Army soldiers have freed three Malaysian hostages kidnapped from a Pandanan Island dive resort after a half hour gun battle with Abu Sayyaf rebels. Resort manager Mohamed Noh Sulaiman, divemaster Joseph Joe Ongkinoh and contractor Kan Wei Chong were abducted on September 10 from the Pandanan dive resort island near Sipadan, off the east coast of Malaysia"s Sabah province. The Abu Sayyaf rebels still hold an American and a Sipadan Island dive instructor hostage. Since the Philippine military launched an assault on rebel positions on Jolo in mid-September, the kidnappings have stopped and the Abu Sayyaf has been on the run. More than 100 rebels have been killed in the military action. © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORK | 
