SULU, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Mar. 16, 2009) – Security forces clashed Monday with Abu Sayyaf terrorists holding hostage three Red Cross workers in the southern Filipino province of Sulu, police said.
The fighting erupted in the hinterlands of Indanan town where soldiers and police forces have encircled an area where the terrorists are holding Swiss national Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipino woman Mary Jean Lacaba.
The three, who are working for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), were kidnapped on January 15 after inspecting water and sanitation project at a prison in Patikul town.
There were no reports about the hostages. The Abu Sayyaf reportedly demanded $10-million ransoms for the freedom of the hostages.
Police said there were unconfirmed reports that one of the terrorist leaders Albader Parad was either wounded or killed in the fighting. “We are trying to confirm that report,” Senior Superintendent Julasirim Kasim, the Sulu police chief, told the Mindanao Examiner.
Parad was a former member of the Moro National Liberation Front, which signed a peace deal with Manila in 1996.
General Nelson Allaga, commander of military forces in Western Mindanao, ignored phone calls from journalists who wanted to confirm reports about Parad’s death.
The ICRC has repeatedly expressed concern about the safety of the hostages.
“We are doing everything we can to obtain the safe and swift release of our staff. It's frustrating for everyone, especially our three kidnapped colleagues and their families that this has gone on for so long. We would very much like to see some rapid and meaningful progress towards resolving this crisis.”
“There are a lot of different people within and outside the ICRC, who are working to make this happen. We're counting on everyone involved to do their utmost to ensure the safe and unconditional release of Mary Jean, Andreas and Eugenio. Their wellbeing must come first and no action should be undertaken that would put their lives in danger. We reiterate our appeal to the kidnappers to let them go,” said Alain Aeschlimann, the ICRC's head of operations for East Asia, South-East Asia and the Pacific.
He said the last time they talked with the captives on the phone was on March 11.
“We were able to talk to Mary Jean, Andreas and Eugenio on Wednesday, 11 March. It was our first direct contact with them in almost three weeks so it was very good to speak with all three and know that they are together. They sound calm and composed, considering the enormous stress of this situation,” Aeschlimann said.
The ICRC said it would not pay ransoms to the Abu Sayyaf and appealed for the safe release of the hostages.
”We are in regular contact with the families of Mary Jean, Andreas and Eugenio. Unless you've lived through something like this yourself, I think it's impossible to imagine their anguish. We are trying our best to comfort them and give them the support they need. Only the safe and rapid release of our colleagues can bring them any real relief.”
"As ICRC workers, the job of Mary Jean, Eugenio and Andreas is to alleviate the suffering of those who have been adversely affected by situations of armed conflict or internal violence. Our colleagues and their families have suffered immensely over the past two months. We hope it will not be long before they are home together again,” Aeschlimann said. (Mindanao Examiner)
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