International Red Cross team kidnapped in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY – Suspected Abu Sayyaf gunmen kidnapped three workers of an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) team that included a Swiss and an Italian national in Jolo, Sulu, officials said.

Swiss national Andreas Notter, Eugenio Vagni of Italy and Filipina Jean Lacaba were on a relief and medical mission when they were kidnapped in Patikul near the provincial jail, Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) spokeswoman Lt. Steffani Cacho said.

The ICRC office in Manila said the three were onboard a marked vehicle when motorcycle-riding gunmen stopped them after they visited the provincial jail.

The three volunteers, all based in Zamboanga City, were said to have been carrying out a water and sanitation project to improve the condition of the detainees.

The gunmen initially commandeered the victims’ service vehicle and escaped towards the direction of Talipao town after releasing the driver and two other Filipino volunteer workers who reported the incident.

The three volunteers had failed to show up at the airport for their flight, prompting authorities to place security forces on alert for another possible kidnap.

Cacho said the group arrived in Jolo on Tuesday and were offered armed security escorts by the military.

“They were duly advised about the security situation on the island but, being a neutral organization, they had denied armed escorts,” Cacho said.

She said the military was trying to track the three victims and had already recovered their vehicle at Barangay Timbang, Patikul.

Sulu Provincial Police director Senior Superintendent Julasirim Kasim said their latest intelligence reports indicated the gunmen brought the three hostages somewhere in Barangay Upper Baiwas, Talipao.

Authorities suspected the Abu Sayyaf is behind the latest snatch.

President Arroyo ordered an “all-out pursuit” against the kidnappers.

Mrs. Arroyo said the military should “make sure the victims are rescued unharmed as their safety is always (of) utmost concern.”

“In light of this recent incident, the authorities are reiterating their call on all elements, whether local or foreign, who visit these areas to coordinate with government ground forces and civilian authorities,” Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said.

“Certain measures are also being pursued in light of the fact that ICRC is an international agency that adheres to neutrality,” Dureza said.

Despite the kidnap, ICRC spokesman Roland Bigler said the Red Cross would not suspend its humanitarian work in other parts of Mindanao, where hundreds of thousands have been displaced by fighting between government troops and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

“There will be no work stoppage. Our humanitarian work on the ground will continue,” Bigler said.

Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) chairman Sen. Richard Gordon appealed to the kidnappers to release the victims.

“They should not harm these people because they are here to help and protect them when they are wounded or when they are in jail. This will do the abductors no good,” he said.

Gordon said the kidnapping of three Red Cross volunteers is a violation of international law.

“It is my hope that these people (kidnappers) realize that the Red Cross is there to help them. The Red Cross is neutral,” he said.

Gordon declined to say who might have been responsible, and Jolo Gov. Sakur Tan said, “They are criminals. I do not care what group they belong to.”

“I will not make contact with them. We will operate against them,” he said.

Tan said about three to five gunmen were involved “but of course they have other companions.” Some villagers saw the hostages being tied up and were cooperating with authorities in trying to track them down, he said.

Wesmincom commander Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga said the anti-terror Task Force Comet under Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban has joined the manhunt for the kidnappers.

Allaga said they have yet to confirm if the Abu Sayyaf is behind the kidnapping.

“As of this time the hot pursuit is ongoing. They are running after the kidnappers,” he said.

It was the most high profile kidnapping of foreigners since 2001, when Abu Sayyaf gunmen snatched nearly two dozen tourists from a resort in Palawan that included three Americans. One was beheaded and the other was killed during a military rescue operation.

The incident prompted Washington to send troops to help the Philippine military go after the Abu Sayyaf.

Several people on Jolo and nearby Basilan, including traders and construction workers, were snatched in the past months and all but one businessman has been released, usually for a ransom.

Security officials have said the Abu Sayyaf is resorting to kidnapping for ransom because they are running out of funds.

From about 1,500 fighters in the 1990s, the ranks of the Abu Sayyaf have fallen to the low hundreds after US-assisted ground operations led to the successes on the field and the killing of key leaders.

But while low in number, the bandit group remains capable of launching surprise attacks and over the past two years has been working increasingly closely with foreign jihadis, including Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), intelligence officials say. – With James Mananghaya, Paolo Romero, Sheila Crisostomo, AP