3 Red Cross hostages appeal for talks

MANILA, Philippines — Three Red Cross workers, including two Europeans, held by al-Qaida-linked militants in the Philippines said Thursday they are being treated well but appealed to authorities to negotiate for their freedom.

Italian Eugenio Vagni, Andreas Notter of Switzerland and Mary Jean Lacaba of the Philippines were kidnapped from their car on Jan. 15 after inspecting a jail sanitation project on southern Sulu province's Jolo island, a predominantly Muslim region.

Police said the kidnappers later handed them over to Abu Sayyaf militants, the target of troops in the region for years.

The hostages said they were fine.

"We (ask) concerned authorities and the (Red Cross) ... to negotiate with the group," Notter said in an interview with Manila's dzEC radio. "We hope that they will take this effort seriously."

They were interviewed by telephone by reporter Arlene dela Cruz, who has good contacts with the al-Qaida-linked Abu Sayyaf.

Vagni appealed for negotiators "to deal with them, to try to find the way to pull us out."

He said they were being "treated like guests" and did not suffer any harm, not even bruises, and that their captors understand that the three were doing humanitarian work. He asked that his love be sent to his family and urged them to remain patient.

Notter said the hostages have no clear picture of their abductors' demands.

Lacaba, who said she spoke Thursday with her husband and child, said the hostages just want to go home and return to their work.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the government was holding off on military intervention.

"All action to be taken must lead to the safe recovery of the hostages," he said.
Sulu Gov. Sakur Tan said Monday the abductors sent a letter demanding a pullout of troops from the area and the selection of negotiators, including Vice President Noli de Castro and foreign ambassadors.

The signatories included Albader Parad and Radullan Sahiron, long wanted by U.S. and Philippine authorities for suspected involvement in terror attacks and high-profile kidnappings.
Tan, who heads the government's hostage crisis committee, has rejected any troop pullout and said he did not want any negotiators from outside the province. The military also rejected any troop pullout. (Teresa Cerojana / AP)