Army Rescues Kidnaped Bishop

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Army troops stormed a hide-out of Muslim rebels today and rescued a Roman Catholic bishop and eight of his companions who were held hostage for three days in the rugged Zamboanga forest, the military said.

Maj. Gen. Delfin Castro said some of the kidnapers were believed wounded in a 15-minute shoot-out on the southern Mindanao island. But the Most Rev. Federico Escaler and his companions, five women, two students and his driver, appeared unharmed, he said.