MANILA, Nov. 11 (Xinhua) -- Philippine military officials have deployed 300 soldiers in southern Philippines to rescue the three company employees kidnapped Tuesday.

    Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., public affairs chief of the Armed Force of the Philippines, said Wednesday the troops were deployed to secure the freedom of Michael Tan, Oscar Lu and Mark Singson, employees of a plywood factory in the town of Malusu in Basilan.

    The victims were abducted Tuesday morning by a dozen unidentified armed men. No group claimed responsibility for the kidnapping. But Philippine military officials blamed the Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaff group for the kidnapping.

    Brawner said the troops are conducting "massive" operations based on the instruction of Armed Forces chief Gen. Victor Ibrado.