MANILA Philippine President Joseph Estrada on Saturday appealed to communist rebels to release an army general and his aide kidnapped on the southern island of Mindanao. Brigadier-General Victor Obillo, commander of an engineering brigade, and a junior officer on a non-combat mission were kidnapped on Wednesday by communist rebels in Davao city, 980 km (610 miles) south of the Philippine capital.

Obillo is the highest ranking military officer abducted by communist rebels in their 30-year history of insurgency. (Reuter)