DHAKA: A renegade faction of a Muslim rebel group engaged in peace talks with the Philippine government released 13 hostages on Tuesday after attacking a banana processing plant in the southern Philippines on Monday, sources said.

Members of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), which became a faction of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in 2011, released nine school teachers and four village officials before dawn on Tuesday, Philippine Army 7th Civil Relations Group commander Lt Col Harold Cabunoc said, reports gulfnews.com.

Soldiers found the decapitated body of Ricarte Dionio, 21, a farmer in Malungao village, Midsayap, on Tuesday.

‘He could be one of the hostages,’ Cabunoc said, adding that three more hostages remained with the BIFF.

Around 200 BIFF members took 17 hostages, including 13 teachers and four village officials, during a raid at the banana processing plant owned by Del Monte Philippines at Dungos village, Midsayap, Cotabato, on Monday.

BDST: 1716 HRS, SEPT 24, 2013
RoR/RK