Most of the Abu Sayyaf rebels escaped an army cordon on Basilan island. An army night attack apparently went wrong, leaving twelve soldiers dead and 32 wounded. Despite the use of two gunships, the rebels engineered a daring escape. While some rebels served as a rear guard, remaining in the hospital and church, the other rebels and most of their hostages made their way to the nearby jungle. The rebels used some of their hostages as human shields.