(3rd UPDATE) 3 Red Cross workers kidnapped in Sulu
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 01/15/2009 1:24 PM
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Three members of the International Committee of the Red Cross, a Swiss national, an Italian and a Filipino, were kidnapped in Sulu province before noon Thursday.
Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga, Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) chief, said soldiers are currently pursuing the armed group who kidnapped Swiss national Andreas Notter, 38, ICRC head in Zamboanga City; Italian national Eugenio Vagni, 62, Davao-based delegate for the ICRC’s Water Habitat Project; and Marie Jean Lacaba, a Davao-based ICRC engineer.
The ICRC office in Manila said the three were in a marked vehicle when they were stopped by gunmen close to the provincial jail.
The ICRC said the three were carrying out a water and sanitation project to improve the condition of detainees.
Allaga said the Red Cross team were scheduled to take a SeaAir flight to Zamboanga City when they were kidnapped.
Sen. Richard Gordon, the head of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), said the three had just visited inmates in Patikul town when snatched by at least eight armed men near the provincial capitol around 11:30 a.m.
The victims were with ICRC medical field officer Dr. Richie Sorilla, senior field officer Ramon Catacutan and field officer Mohammad Shihata Jikiri.
Authorities said the kidnappers left the three field officers and took their cellular phones and personal belongings.
Allaga said the kidnappers used the ICRC team's vehicle for their getaway. He said the vehicle has been recovered by pursuing members of Task Force Comet, headed by Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban.
"The troops are in hot pursuit and the latest is they have already recovered the vehicle... They are now travelling on foot," the military official said. "They are exerting their best efforts to catch up with the abductors."
The military said the abductors were on their way to Barangay Bud Pula in Patikul town.
Palace orders rescue and pursuit operations
Malacañang meanwhile has ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police (PNP) to rescue the three members of the ICRC team and pursue the abductors.
“The security forces, both AFP and PNP are in hot-pursuit operations to track down the criminal elements and ensure the safe return of the captives. Task Force Comet under Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban has been tasked to undertake appropriate action on the ground,” said Press Secretary Jesus Dureza.
Arroyo said the military should "make sure the victims are rescued unharmed as their safety is always (of) utmost concern."
Dureza also reiterated the governments travel advice to areas where abductions have recently occurred. He called “on all elements, whether locals or foreigners, who visit these areas to coordinate with government ground forces and civilian authorities so adequate measures are done on their security and safety,” said Dureza.
Humanitarian work to continue
ICRC spokesman Roland Bigler in Manila said the agency would not suspend its humanitarian work in other parts of the south, where hundreds of thousands have been displaced by fighting between government troops and Muslim militants.
"There will be no work stoppage. Our humanitarian work on the ground will continue," Bigler said.
He said the ICRC had not heard from the captives, and no group had called to claim responsibility for the crime or to relay ransom demands.
Lt. Steffani Cacho, WesMinCom spokesman, said the group arrived in Jolo Tuesday and were offered armed security escorts by the Army unit in the area.
"They were duly advised about the security situation on the island but, being a neutral organization, had denied armed escorts," Cacho said.
Jail guard
Allaga said that based on the initial assessment on the ground, an unidentified jail guard who he said was assigned in Sulu Provincial Jail, was allegedly in cahoots in the abduction of the three ICRC members.
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Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga |
The general said that based on the accounts from witnesses an unidentified jail guard was among those persons who waylaid the vehicle of the victims, and forcibly took the three.
The WesMinCom chief however did not disclose the identity of the jail guard. Allaga said however that the jail guard might had been involved in the recent jail break in Sulu provincial jail, where 13 prisoners managed to escape.
Allaga refused to pinpoint any particular group behind the abduction. He said since they still do not have any further evidence or witnesses.
The WesMinCom chief said he has yet to receive confirmation that the kidnappers are members of the Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandit group. He said the kidnappers and the ICRC team could be travelling on foot.
While no claims have been reported, many suspect the involvement of bandit Abu Sayyaf group. A report said the ICRC workers were taken by an Abu Sayyaf sub-group headed by Albader Parad.
International crime
Hearing initial reports that the Abu Sayyaf kidnapped the ICRC team, Gordon pleaded to the group to release the victims.
"I am appealing to the Abu Sayyaf to free those people, because they are neutral in any conflict," Gordon said. "They do not realize this but these people help them if they get wounded and get them out of the conflict areas."
Gordon said the ICRC team's kidnappers should realize that they are committing an international crime.
He said Sulu was relatively safe for ICRC members before the kidnapping. He said the group has been going in and out of the province because of the ongoing humanitarian projects.
"This is an international crime. It's considered a crime against humanity. The Red Cross have a protective logo," he said.
Gordon, who is also a governor of International Federation of the Red Cross, said in a statement the abduction may have violated Common Article 3 of the 4 Geneva Convention and 2 Additional Protocols.
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Sen. Richard Gordon |
"Common Article 3 of the Geneva Convention prohibits the abduction or kidnapping of persons taking no active part in hostilities, such as the ICRC which is an impartial humanitarian body that offers services to both parties in conflicts," said Gordon.
Gordon warned the incident could cause an international furor if the victims were harmed and not released immediately.
"The Swiss and Italian embassies have already contacted us and they are very concerned over this unfortunate incident. We have also already informed the victims' next of kin," he said in the statement.
The senator said the Red Cross doesn't negotiate with kidnappers and insisted that the organization does not give out ransom money.
"No amount of reward will work here. What's important is you release these people immediately," Gordon said.
He said PNRC members have been mistakenly kidnapped in the past and the abductors usually return the victims after learning that they are with the Red Cross.
Notorious
The Abu Sayyaf is the smallest and deadliest of Moro rebel groups operating in southern Philippines. The group is notorious for kidnappings and is based on Jolo and the nearby island of Basilan.
The bandit group has twice attacked luxury beach resorts and taken away tourists, including Westerners. They have held them for months at a time and secured large ransoms for their release.
In 2001, three kidnap victims, including an American, were beheaded by their captors.
The Abu Sayyaf has also been blamed for the bombing of a ferry near Manila Bay in 2004 that killed 100 people. With reports from Queenie Casimiro and RJ Rosalado, ABS-CBN Zamboanga, Reuters and Agence France-Presse
