Close to midnight on June 1, about 70 Abu Sayyaf guerrillas burst into a small hospital, a nearby church and a convent at the heart of Lamitan's dusty downtown, dragging along their hostages from the distant island resort. Lamitan, home to more than 60,000 people thriving mostly on coconut farming and fishing, is especially coveted by the Abu Sayyaf. The town, along with the provincial capital of Isabela, are the only two places dominated by Christians in Basilan. Nacorda said he was cornered by two young rebels who pointed their guns at him outside the church at the start of the assault, but he ran away before they could fire. It was a major embarrassment to the military and President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who has vowed to wipe out the Abu Sayyaf.
Elderly residents say the sight was too familiar.
In the early 1970s, they watched as Lamitan was practically leveled by intense air and ground bombardment ordered by then-President Ferdinand Marcos against attacking Muslim guerrillas. The Abu Sayyaf, founded by Islamic radicals from Basilan, claims it is fighting for Islamic independence in the southern Philippines, a mostly Catholic country. In the past, the rebel group has demanded that crosses be removed from Basilan and that Catholic priests stop preaching there. In 1994, Abu Sayyaf guerrillas snatched Nacorda while traveling in Lantawan town, a known rebel stronghold. Afterward, the guerrillas flagged down two vehicles, separated the passengers by religion and massacred about 15 Christians.