It may seem like déja vu, but barely a month after the final hostage was rescued from last year’s mass kidnapping by Abu Sayyaf rebels at the Malaysian dive island of Sipadan, the same group has taken 20 hostages, this time from the luxury resort of Dos Palmas on Arrecetti Island in Honda Bay, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. Hostages include three Americans, 14 Filipino tourists and three resort staff. The U.S. State Department has continued to warn travelers about the risks of visiting the nearby islands in Malaysia, but clearly the Philippine islands in and around the Sulu Sea pose dangers for travelers as well. If last year’s incident is any guide, this crisis could last a long time.
