Four people were kidnapped and unknown gunmen ambushed troops in separate attacks in a southern Philippine province where 57 people were massacred last month, the military said Tuesday. The two incidents took place Monday in Maguindanao province, which remains under a state of emergency as security forces seek to quell a rebellion led by a powerful Muslim clan blamed for last month's election-linked massacre. About 100 armed men kidnapped the four men in Datu Abdula Sangki town and took them to a mountainous area, said Senior Superintendent Bienvinido Latag. Hours later, about 50 armed men ambushed a military patrol, sparking a gunbattle in Sharif Aguak town, also in Maguindanao, said local military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Michael Samson. At least one member of the armed band is believed to have been killed in the incident, Samson said, although no body was recovered. It remains unknown who the perpetrators are in both cases, and whether the incidents were connected, police and military said. Authorities were also not able to give the identities of the four abducted men. The military, however, has said about 3,000 armed militiamen loyal to the politically powerful Ampatuan clan are still being hunted down in the province. Both incidents occurred in towns that were known to be Ampatuan strongholds. Maguindanao province rose to international attention on Nov. 23 when armed followers of the Ampatuans allegedly killed 57 people, including relatives of a rival politician, lawyers, journalists and bystanders. President Gloria Arroyo imposed martial law over Maguindanao from December 4 to 12 to quell what she said was a rebellion by the Ampatuans after they were accused of being behind the massacre. Although martial law was lifted, a state of emergency remains in place.The Senate said the imposition of martial law was unconstitutional.
