Gordon: Vagni contacted his wife

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) chairman and Sen. Richard Gordon said abducted Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni phoned his wife a day or two ago, thus belying reports that he has been killed.

“We are aware that he is still alive. He called his wife yesterday or two days ago… Vagni was a subject of rumors that he has been killed,” said Gordon at a hearing of the Commission on Appointments’ committee on national defense.

Gordon said he suspects that there are certain people who want to get money out of Vagni’s kidnapping.

He revealed Vagni’s phone call during the confirmation proceedings of former Armed Forces chief Alexander Yano as ambassador to Brunei when the latter was asked about the government’s stance on kidnappings.

Asked why the Abu Sayyaf remains bold in its abductions, Yano said the group has evolved from a hardcore ideological group into splinter criminal groups.

“When most of (its) key leaders were neutralized, there were several others who would like to highlight their own leadership potential. I would say it’s now more or less a loosely knit organization, no longer an organization that we had in the past,” Yano said.

He admitted that it is more difficult for the military to go after the smaller factions of the Abu Sayyaf.

Vagni’s fellow Red Cross volunteers Filipina Jean Marie Lacaba and Swiss Andreas Notter earlier got their freedom. The three were seized in Sulu last January after inspecting a project for inmates.