Government willing to suspend offensive vs Sayyaf

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  – The government is open to suspending the military offensive against the Abu Sayyaf if they decide to resume negotiations for the release of Italian Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said yesterday.

Puno, acting as the hostage crisis adviser of Sulu, also noted reports that some local leaders in the province revealed Vagni has remained “safe and healthy” under the Abu Sayyaf.

Vagni was one of three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf on Jan. 15.

The Italian has been held hostage for more than five months while his two colleagues, Swiss national Andreas Notter and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba, gained their freedom in April.

After several failed negotiations, the provincial hostage crisis committee led by Sulu Gov. Abdusakur Tan authorized the military to launch operations to rescue Vagni, who is said to be suffering from hernia.

Brig. Gen. Nur Askalani, chief of the government’s Ad hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG) that monitors the ceasefire agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said they are also monitoring Vagni but stressed they are not interfering in any military operation.

Askalani said the last time they heard of Vagni was early this month and they have not received any new information since then.

Askalani said they heard “something very annoying and something very abnormal” about the situation, but he refused to elaborate.

There had been several skirmishes between the military and the Abu Sayyaf gunmen in the effort to rescue Vagni that left 23 people killed on both sides – eight soldiers and 15 bandits.

A source in the military also revealed the Abu Sayyaf has made direct contact with Vagni’s family in Italy to discuss payment of ransom.

Puno, on the other hand, said they have opened up three “new areas” of discussion with the Abu Sayyaf for Vagni’s safe release.

Puno did not elaborate but said the discussion is continuing with the kidnappers who are led by Abu Sayyaf leaders Albader Parad and Umbra Jumdail alias Dr. Abu Pula.

According to Puno, the bandit group has sent several emissaries and are hoping that any slight pause in the military operations would allow the crisis management committee to discuss other means to release Vagni.

“If the Abu Sayyaf tries to begin discussion with us on the release (of Mr. Vagni), then there will be opportunity for us to scale down if not suspend temporarily the pursuit operation,” he said.

Puno maintained the government will not entertain talks of ransom.

“Even when it takes months, if we’ll stick to the (no ransom) policy, eventually you will get the result you want,” Puno said.