Abu Sayyaf rebels released the second of three kidnapped Red Cross workers Saturday morning held captive in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, according to officials.
Sulu-based military spokesman Edgard Arevalo said that Swiss Andreas Notter was found in Indanan town by security forces cordoning off the kidnappers and now is staying with Sulu governor Abdusakur Tan, who is heading a government Crisis Management Committee tasked to secure the freedom of the International Committee of the Red Cross staff members.
Notter, together with Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba, was snatched by the rebel Abu Sayyaf group on Jan. 15 in Patikul town after they inspected a jail project in the Sulu province. Lacaba was released earlier by the kidnappers on April 2, after 77 days of captivity.
"Based on the information that reached us, Notter was freed, ( and) then he was found in Indanan," said Arevalo. The spokesman could not say what specific time the hostage was released.
"But definitely our troops are still in their positions, where they are supposed to be. The pressure that we are exerting is still there, we didn't remove it. Definitely the pressure on them (the kidnappers) contributed in releasing their hostage," said Arevalo.
No ransom was allegedly paid for the release to the kidnappers. Founded in the early 1990s by Islamic extremists, the Abu Sayyaf group is on the United States' list of terrorist organizations and is notorious for kidnappings, bombings and even beheadings in the Southeast Asian country over the past decade.
The spokesman did not give information about Vagni -- the third kidnapped aid worker -- on Saturday.
He said earlier this week that Vagni was ill and needed rapid medical treatment.
"Intelligence reports reveal that Vagni is afflicted with Hernia. This is a medical condition that physicians say could be serious and thus requires immediate medical attention," Arevalo told reporters on Wednesday.
The Philippine government welcomed Notter's release and expressed hope that the remaining hostage would soon be freed as well.
"The release of Notter is good news. We hope Vagni will also be freed soon. We commend the local Crisis Committee, the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), PNP (Philippine National Police) and all those who helped in one way or the other," Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said in a text message to reporters
(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2009)
