COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, WORLD NEWS: Philippine president Joseph Estrada is cutting short his China trip by a day to deal with escalating unrest in the southern Philippines. The death toll has climbed in Thursday's grenade attack on Jolo, the island where Muslim rebels are holding 21 hostages. CNN's Maria Ressa reports government negotiators still hope to begin talks sometime on Friday.</s>MARIA RESSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Even as government negotiators arrive on the remote island of Jolo, three grenades exploded in this busy marketplace, killing at least four people and injuring at least 39 others. At almost the same time, a bomb exploded in nearby Zamboanga, killing one woman. So far, no one has claimed responsibility.</s>EDDIE GONZALEZ, COUNCILLOR: The bomb exploded and as of the moment, we still are not in a procedure to determine what type of explosive they used.</s>RESSA: It's not the first time. In the past week, two soldiers and a civilian were also killed in the market. It's uncertain how these will affect the talks for the release of 21 hostages kidnapped from a Malaysian resort nearly a month ago. Late Thursday, a team of doctors were allowed to visit the hostages.</s>DR. IMRAN ABDUL KHALID, RED CRESCENT: We feel glad that we can be of some help to the hostages, to offer humanitarian aid, to provide them some medical care and also to deliver food and clothing to them.</s>RESSA: Negotiations for their release will take place somewhere on Jolo Island, the base of about 200 members of their kidnappers, the Muslim extremist group the Abu Sayyaf. Some call this the "wild west" of the Philippines. Officials estimate at least 1,000 more guns for hire are based in Jolo - warlords, vigilantes and former Muslim rebels. The law and order here is tenuous at best. Despite that, negotiators have asked the military to pull back. Trust, they say, is the first priority. Maria Ressa, CNN, Manila.
At Least Four Killed In Philippines Blast