Sulu negotiators lose contact with Vagni's captors

MANILA, Philippines – Local negotiators have totally lost contact with the Abu Sayyaf gunmen holding Italian Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni hostage in Sulu.

A local official privy to the efforts of Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan, chairman of the provincial crisis committee negotiating the release of the remaining hostage, said the Abu Sayyaf gunmen simply disconnected from the negotiators following the unexpected rescue of Swiss national Andreas Notter.

“Our local negotiators are now trying to reestablish contact with the kidnappers who cut off communications following the recovery of Notter,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

Tan had authorized the military and police to rescue Vagni following the rescue of Notter.

Tan said negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf were going nowhere and there was concern over the deteriorating condition of Vagni, the last of three Red Cross hostages, who was suffering from hypertension and needed surgery for hernia.

Vagni was abducted along with Notter and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Jan. 15 while on a humanitarian mission in Sulu.

Lacaba was freed on April 2 while Notter was safely recovered by authorities on April 18.

There have been mounting fears that the increasingly desperate Abu Sayyaf may try to harm Vagni as they evade troops in the jungle.

Officials said the kidnappers split into small groups in an effort to evade pursuing government forces.

Several military and police operations also yielded reports that showed Vagni is no longer being held by the main group led by Abu Sayyaf leader Albader Parad.

This prompted the government to put up a P500,000 reward for any information to locate Vagni and his abductors.

Sources in Sulu claimed that discreet efforts are now being undertaken to determine if Vagni is still in Sulu. – Jaime Laude