Muslim rebels on Monday claimed responsibility for the kidnapping of three Americans and 17 Filipinos from a southern Philippine resort and put one of the Americans on radio to back their claim.
"We are admitting it, we are the ones who did it," Abu Sabaya, a spokesman for the Abu Sayyaf rebels, told the DXRV radio station in a telephone call.
He said the 20 hostages had been divided into two groups and were on Basilan and Jolo, two neighboring islands in the south where the guerrilla group has set up jungle camps.
The Abu Sayyaf gained notoriety last year for abducting some 40 people, including several Western tourists from a Malaysian resort, and receiving ransoms of up to $1 million for many of them.
The latest victims were kidnapped around dawn on Sunday from the Dos Palmas island resort, some 300 miles to the northwest across the Sulu Sea, and the group has evaded a dragnet spread by the Philippine navy and air force.
Martin Burnham, a 41-year-old missionary and one of the three Americans among the hostages, also spoke to the radio station and said: "Hi, I am Mr. Martin Burnham, a U.S. citizen. I am a missionary. I am with my wife, we are in the custody of the Abu Sayyaf under Khadafy Janjalani.
"We are safe, our needs are being met. We would like to appeal to all for a reasonable and safe negotiation."
Janjalani heads one of the factions of the Abu Sayyaf. His followers also held American Jeffrey Schilling for eight months before the man was freed in April when a military patrol chanced upon the rebels on Jolo and the guerrillas fled leaving the captive behind.
Earlier, the rebels had threatened to execute Schilling, a convert to Islam, and present his head to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on her birthday on April 5 -- ZAMBOANGA, Philippines (Reuters)
