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The Philippine national flag flies at half-staff as soldiers watch a news conference below of top Government officials at the site of a three-week intense fighting between Government forces and Muslim rebels who have taken nearly 200 people hostages, in Zamboanga city, southern Philippines, Saturday Sept. 28, 2013. The deadly standoff between government troops and Muslim rebels has ended with all of the captives safe, officials said Saturday. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said only a handful of Moro National Liberation Front rebels remained in hiding and were being hunted by troops in the coastal outskirts of the city, adding authorities were trying to determine if rebel commander Habier Malik, who led the Sept. 9 siege, was dead. More than 200 people were killed in the clashes, including 183 rebels and 23 soldiers and police, in one of the bloodiest and longest-running attacks by a Muslim group in the south, scene of decades-long Muslim rebellion for self-rule in the largely Roman Catholic country. (AP Photo) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

Government troopers bump fists at the site of a three-week intense fighting between Government forces and Muslim rebels who have taken nearly 200 people hostages, in Zamboanga city, southern Philippines, Saturday Sept. 28, 2013. The deadly standoff ended with all of the captives safe, officials said Saturday. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said only a handful of Moro National Liberation Front rebels remained in hiding and were being hunted by troops in the coastal outskirts of the city, adding authorities were trying to determine if rebel commander Habier Malik, who led the Sept. 9 siege, was dead. More than 200 people were killed in the clashes, including 183 rebels and 23 soldiers and police, in one of the bloodiest and longest-running attacks by a Muslim group in the south, scene of decades-long Muslim rebellion for self-rule in the largely Roman Catholic country. (AP Photo) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

Philippine Armed Forces Chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista, center left, Secretary of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin, center in striped shirt, and Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, in blue shirt, attend a press conference as they tour the site of a three-week intense fighting between Government forces and Muslim rebels who have taken nearly 200 people hostages in Zamboanga city, southern Philippines, Saturday Sept. 28, 2013. The deadly standoff between government troops and Muslim rebels has ended with all of the captives safe, officials said Saturday. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said only a handful of Moro National Liberation Front rebels remained in hiding and were being hunted by troops in the coastal outskirts of Zamboanga city, adding authorities were trying to determine if rebel commander Habier Malik, who led the Sept. 9 siege, was dead. More than 200 people were killed in the clashes, including 183 rebels and 23 soldiers and police, in one of the bloodiest and longest-running attacks by a Muslim group in the south, scene of decades-long Muslim rebellion for self-rule in the largely Roman Catholic country. (AP Photo) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

In this photo taken Thursday Sept. 26, 2013, suspected Muslim rebels whom the military said were either captured or surrendered, arrive at a police station for processing in Zamboanga city, southern Philippines. The deadly three-week standoff between government troops and Muslim rebels, who taken nearly 200 people hostages has ended with all of the captives safe, officials announced Saturday Sept. 28, 2013. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said only a handful of Moro National Liberation Front rebels remained in hiding and were being hunted by troops in the coastal outskirts of Zamboanga city, adding authorities were trying to determine if rebel commander Habier Malik, who led the Sept. 9 siege, was dead. More than 200 people were killed in the clashes, including 183 rebels and 23 soldiers and police, in one of the bloodiest and longest-running attacks by a Muslim group in the south, scene of decades-long Muslim rebellion for self-rule in the largely Roman Catholic country. (AP Photo) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

Philippine police bring down the coffin of their comrade who was killed during an operation against Muslim rebels in Zamboanga province as it arrives at Villamor Air Base in Pasay, south of Manila, Philippines on Wednesday Sept. 25, 2013. Government troops are still battling a group of Muslim rebels holding about 20 hostages at the southern port city of Zamboanga. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

Government troops rest amidst the ruins at the site of a three-week standoff in Zamboanga city, southern Philippines, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013. The deadly standoff between government troops and Muslim rebels who held nearly 200 people hostage ended with all of the captives safe, officials said Saturday. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said only a handful of Moro National Liberation Front rebels remained in hiding and were being hunted by troops in the coastal outskirts of Zamboanga city, adding authorities were trying to determine if rebel commander Habier Malik, who led the Sept. 9 siege, was dead. (AP Photo) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

A government trooper rests amidst the ruins at the site of a three-week standoff in Zamboanga city, southern Philippines, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013. The deadly standoff between government troops and Muslim rebels who held nearly 200 people hostage ended with all of the captives safe, officials said Saturday. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said only a handful of Moro National Liberation Front rebels remained in hiding and were being hunted by troops in the coastal outskirts of Zamboanga city, adding authorities were trying to determine if rebel commander Habier Malik, who led the Sept. 9 siege, was dead. (AP Photo) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, center in blue shirt, and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Voltaire Gazmin, in striped shirt right, tour the site of a three-week intense fighting between Government forces and Muslim rebels who have taken nearly 200 people hostagesin Zamboanga city, southern Philippines, Saturday Sept. 28, 2013. The deadly standoff between government troops and Muslim rebels has ended with all of the captives safe, officials said Saturday. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said only a handful of Moro National Liberation Front rebels remained in hiding and were being hunted by troops in the coastal outskirts of Zamboanga city, adding authorities were trying to determine if rebel commander Habier Malik, who led the Sept. 9 siege, was dead. More than 200 people were killed in the clashes, including 183 rebels and 23 soldiers and police, in one of the bloodiest and longest-running attacks by a Muslim group in the south, scene of decades-long Muslim rebellion for self-rule in the largely Roman Catholic country. (AP Photo) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

Government troops wear gas masks to avoid the stench of decomposing bodies of Muslim rebels who were killed in a three-week intense fighting against government forces, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2013 in Zamboanga city, southern Philippines. The deadly three-week standoff between government troops and Muslim rebels who held nearly 200 people hostage in the southern Philippines has ended with all of the remaining captives safe, officials said Saturday. (AP Photo) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

Government troops stand by the ruins at the site of a three-week intense fighting between government forces and Muslim rebels Saturday Sept. 28, 2013 in Zamboanga city, southern Philippines. The deadly three-week standoff between government troops and Muslim rebels who held nearly 200 people hostage in the southern Philippines has ended with all of the remaining captives safe, officials said Saturday. (AP Photo) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

Government troopers patrol to secure the city streets as fighting between government forces and Muslim rebels continues Saturday, Sept. 21, 2013 in Zamboanga city in southern Philippines. Government troops are battling a holdout group of Muslim rebels holding about 20 hostages. The violence in Zamboanga comes as troops search house-to-house in two neighborhoods to flush out about 30 to 40 Muslim rebels who seized scores of civilians as human shields 13 days ago when government forces repulsed their bid to occupy the port city. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

Medics apply first aid to an occupant of a two-story house after a mortar shell tore through its kitchen at a neighborhood in Tetuan district as exchange of gunfire between government forces and Muslim rebels continues for 13 days now Saturday Sept. 21, 2013 in Zamboanga city in southern Philippines. Government troops are battling a holdout group of Muslim rebels holding about 20 hostages. The occupant of the house, Norma Lladones, was killed in the mortar shelling and her daughter-in-law was wounded, police said. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

A member of the Philippine National Police Bomb Squad unit measures the hole created by a mortar shelling at a two-story house at Tetuan district of as exchange of gunfire between government forces and Muslim rebels continues Saturday Sept. 21, 2013 in Zamboanga city in southern Philippines. Government troops are battling a holdout group of Muslim rebels holding about 20 hostages. The violence in Zamboanga comes as troops search house-to-house in two neighborhoods to flush out about 30 to 40 Muslim rebels who seized scores of civilians as human shields 13 days ago when government forces repulsed their bid to occupy the port city. The occupant of the house, Norma Lladones, was killed in the mortar shelling and her daughter-in-law was wounded, police said. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )

Villagers who were displaced by the fighting between government forces and Muslim rebels continue to be housed in tents in a stadium in Zamboanga city in southern Philippines Friday, Sept. 20, 2013. The ongoing standoff has now displaced more than 100,000 people and resulted in billions of pesos (millions of dollars) losses to the city's business. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) ( APTOPIX Philippines Rebel Standoff )

Volunteers lower the body of a suspected Muslim rebel killed in the stand-off between Philippine government forces and members of Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) during a burial on the outskirts of Zamboanga, on the southern island of Mindanao on September 20, 2013. Philippine security forces killed eight Muslim rebels on September 20 as they hunted the remnants of a guerrilla force hiding in homes of the major city and believed to be holding hostages. TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images ( 523050733 )

In this Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013 photo released by the Philippine Air Force, a fire breaks out at a village in Zamboanga city where government troops battle a holdout group of Muslim rebels holding hostages in southern Philippines. It was the most serious fighting in years between rebels and government forces in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation's south, the scene of decades-old struggle for self-rule by minority Muslims. (AP Photo/Philippine Air Force) ( Philippines Rebel Standoff )