Philippine Military Chief Visits Wounded Soldiers In Mindanao

Philippine military chief General Alexander Yano speaks Tuesday, February 10, 2009 to one of 11 wounded soldiers in Zamboanga City. A doctor also examines a soldier who is in critical condition. The soldiers were part of a rescue group that assaulted the Abu Sayyaf in a failed attempt to spring three kidnapped Red Cross workers Swiss national Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipino woman Mary Lacaba in Sulu province. The trio was kidnapped on January 15, 2009 after inspecting humanitarian projects at a prison in Sulu's Patikul town. (Mindanao Examiner Photo / Jung Francisco)

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Feb. 10, 2009) – Philippine military chief General Alexander Yano visited Tuesday soldiers who were wounded in a clash with Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Sulu island where they are holding kidnapped three Red Cross workers.

Eleven marines were wounded in Monday fighting with terrorists in a failed attempt to spring Swiss national Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba who were kidnapped January 15.

Yano, accompanied by Marine Generals Nelson Allaga and Natalio Ecarma, visited the wounded soldiers at a military hospital inside the Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City.

They also handed envelopes containing money and bags of groceries to the soldiers, but two of them are in critical condition. (Jung Francisco)