Australia probes report of man held in Philippines

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. AFP FILE PHOTO

CANBERRA, Australia — Australia’s prime minister says her government has established a task force to investigate reports that an Australian man has been kidnapped in the southern Philippines.

The Philippine military says armed men abducted 56-year-old Warren Richard Rodwell in Ipil town in Zamboanga Sibugay province late Monday and were heading to the coast, where security forces were trying to rescue him.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Tuesday that Australian authorities had yet to confirm that an Australian had been kidnapped.

She says a task force has been set up and that the Australian Embassy in Manila was working with local authorities to establish the facts.

Such task forces typically include trained hostage negotiators.