2 Abu wives freed after Vagni release

MANILA, Philippines - Charges of illegal possession of firearms filed against Al Bader Parad’s two wives, Simang Annudin and Rowena Aksan, have been dropped after International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) worker Eugenio Vagni was released by his Abu Sayyaf captors.

The dropping of the charges is seen as a “goodwill gesture” by the government in recognition of the key role the two women played in convincing their husband to release the Italian captive.

“The charges were dropped for insufficiency of evidence,” Marine Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, Task Force Comet commander, told The STAR the other day in Zamboanga City.

Annudin and Aksan, through the efforts of Sulu Vice Gov. Lady Anne Sahidulla, persuaded their husband by telephone to release Vagni.

At one point during their phone conversation, Parad was heard crying amid the pleadings of his wives.

Sahidulla, who initiated the contact, took advantage of the situation and explained to Parad the futility of holding Vagni hostage, according to a source privy to the renewed negotiation.

“That is when (Parad) realized that his family and relatives would be affected because of what he did,” the source said.

After agreeing to release Vagni, the source said Parad asked Sahidulla to allow one of his wives to go with her to fetch the hostage.

But the release was almost scuttled after a firefight erupted between the Abu Sayyaf and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

Security forces later established that the MNLF fired at the Abu Sayyaf to drive them away from their camp in Parang.

Sahidulla was later told to proceed to another area where Parad subsequently showed up.

She, however, thought that Parad double-crossed her because he took his wife “Honey” with their group and withdrew without releasing Vagni.

She said that she received a call from Parad later, instructing her proceed to another area to fetch the Italian Red Cross volunteer.

But while the government thought that Parad’s group was keeping Vagni, Abu Sayyaf fighters belonging to Yasser Igasan arrived and delivered the hostage.

Igasan, an Islamic scholar whose group was not linked to the ICRC kidnapping, had been reported to have replaced slain Abu Sayyaf chieftain Khadaffy Janjalani.

“It turned out that Vagni had been with Igasan’s group since April. This is the reason why we have monitored his calls to his wife in a populated area,” said a ranking Marine officer.

Asked why Parad prevailed over Igasan to release Vagni despite his being only a sub-leader of the bandit group, the officer said it is an unwritten code among terrorists that whoever planned and executed the actual snatching of an intended victim will always have the final say on what to do with the hostage or hostages.

Expensive cigarettes

Representatives of the ICRC in Manila said Vagni is still resting with his family and other plans have yet to be settled.

“He is in good spirits. Other plans have yet to be settled but he is definitely going home to Italy. The time and date has yet to be finalized though,” said Anastacia Isyuk of ICRC Manila.

Gwen Pang of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) said Vagni is tired but is in good physical condition.

She said that the Italian Red Cross volunteer and his wife Khwanrufan and their two daughters Leticia and Norison would be flying back to Italy after his medical check up.

PNRC chairman Sen. Richard Gordon was elated over the release but denounced Sahidulla’s act of giving “goodwill money” to the Abu Sayyaf.

Sahidulla earlier admitted that she gave P50,000 to the bandits who asked for money to buy cigarettes.

She said the money came from her own pocket and that the hostage takers made no ransom demand.

“I’m going to castigate Lady Ann because she said she gave them P50,000, because the Red Cross does not give a single centavo, we don’t want to give a single centavo. I don’t want ransom because it endangers my people, the Red Cross people,” Gordon said, reminding reporters at the Manila Hotel that the vice governor was a good friend.

But Malacañang lauded Sahidulla’s action, saying the P50,000 “cigarette money” could be justified as it resulted in the release of Vagni.

Deputy Presidential Spokesman for Economic Affairs Gary Olivar said the local crisis management committee led by the Sulu vice governor should be commended for securing Vagni’s release.

“Let’s trust the people on the ground. I think the important thing is that the outcome was positive,” Olivar told a news briefing. “I don’t think it amounts to a substantive violation of our no ransom policy, if you look at the amount, the timing, and the context.”

He said the way he understood the reports, the money was given at the end of the negotiations and when Vagni was about to be released.

“I don’t think it rises to that level that the hostage would not be released if the amount was not given. That’s what we’re against,” he said. “I think the payment was just to complete the process.”

He, however, made a rough computation and said P50,000 could amount to about 125 cartons of imported cigarettes, or three cartons for each of the captors in a “platoon-sized” group.

Search and destroy

Meanwhile, Sen. Rodolfo Biazon said Vagni’s release removed the deterrent for the military and police forces to pursue and destroy the kidnappers and terrorists.

He said it is now time for the government to work for normalcy in the affected areas of Jolo, Basilan, Zamboanga and other parts of Central Mindanao, as socio-economic programs could not be implemented effectively as long as the kidnappers and terrorists reign.

Military and police operations had been hampered in the past because the safety of the hostages had been a major consideration.

The release of Vagni may have changed the situation, from that of civilian and police to military situation.

“I support the pronouncement of the chief local executive of Jolo, Gov. Sakur Tan, that it is now time to finish the terrorist/kidnappers. If an all-out operation is to be constituted, the civilian volunteer organization must be allowed to play a role in an integrated campaign plan to destroy the terrorist/kidnappers groups,” Biazon said.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, for his part, promised that the military would intensify operations against the bandits, at least in the island province of Sulu.

“We have ordered intensified follow-up efforts to track down ASG remnants in Sulu and Basilan and we are advising the public to take the necessary precaution because if somebody is kidnapped again, it would not be a reason to stop the operations,” he said.

Teodoro said there is a need to address the Abu Sayyaf once and for all and Vagni’s release provides the military with that opportunity.

“So we are warning the local executives and all other people to take adequate hardening measures so as not to allow the Abu Sayyaf to use asymmetric tactics because we do not want our operations hampered,” he said.

Sen. Francis Escudero, on the other hand, welcomed the resolution of the ICRC kidnapping but reminded the government about the plight of three teachers still in captivity in Basilan. 

“The end of Mr. Vagni’s ordeal should convince those working behind the scenes to exert more effort in securing the release of other Abu Sayyaf hostages,” he said.

Jocelyn Enriquez, Jocelyn Inion and Noemi Mandi, who all taught at Bangkaw-Bangkaw Elementary School, were abducted last March 13 off the island barangay of Bangkaw-Bangkaw, Naga town, Zamboanga Sibugay while they were on the way home.

There have been reports that Mandi died in captivity, although this has yet to be confirmed.

Senior Supt. Federico Castro Jr., police provincial commander of Zamboanga Sibugay, said operations are now expected to shift to efforts to rescue the abducted teachers. – With Roel Pareño, James Mananghaya, Aurea Calica, Helen Flores, Paolo Romero, Jose Rodel Clapano, Mayen Jaymalin, Mike Frialde, Dennis Carcamo