Jolo - Muslim extremists holding 37 hostages in the southern Philippine island of Jolo have kidnapped three French television journalists covering the 12-week hostage crisis, a senior provincial government source and their colleague said yesterday.
The two male and one female journalists from the France-2 broadcasting station left early yesterday for the hideout of the Abu Sayyaf rebels and have not returned, a film editor with the station said.
She identified the missing trio as reporter Maryse Burgot (36), cameramen Jean-Jacques le Garec (46) and Vietnamese-born Roger Madula (49).
Meanwhile, Philippine troops captured the biggest Muslim rebel base on southern Mindanao island yesterday after days of fighting, the President, Mr Joseph Estrada said.