The senior military commander in the Western Mindanao said on Thursday that a provincial jail guard could have been involved in the abduction of three members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Sulu province.

"They have apparently identified one of the abductors, who is a jail guard. There was recently a jail break there and the team was going to the provincial jail to follow up their humanitarian works," said Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga, Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command (WesMinCom) chief.

Allaga said that based on the initial assessment on the ground, the unidentified jail guard who he said was assigned in Sulu Provincial Jail, was allegedly in cahoots in the abduction of ICRC members Swiss national Andreas Notter, Italian national Eugenio Vagni and Filipina Mary Jane Lacaba Thuirsday before noon.

Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga

The senior Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) 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 abductors reportedly fled the area on foot bringing with them the three humanitarian workers.

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 AFP in Sulu have launched operations to rescue the three victims.

Providing assistance
The group of Notter, ICRC head in Zamboanga City, has reportedly been visiting the Sulu provincial jail as part of their mandate in ICRC to provide assistance to the provincial prisoners, Allaga said Notter's group has visited the jail twice before the incident.

Vic Liozo, Zamboanga City Red Cross administrator, meanwhile has expressed his concern over the abduction of their colleagues in Sulu.

"My reaction is that why Red Cross, because we are just doing our job, we are just helping the people,” said Liozo.

Liozo said the last time that he talked with Notter was two days ago when the latter asked permission from him regarding a supposed trip to Tawi-Tawi to visit ICRC projects in the province.

That's why, Liozo said, he was shocked when he heard the news that Notter along with two other companions were abducted in Sulu. Liozo said maybe Notter changed his mind and decided to pass by Sulu before going to Tawi-Tawi.

ABS-CBN Zamboanga visited the office of ICRC in Zamboanga City, but apparently the office has been closed since Thursday morning.