Red Cross sticks to no-ransom stand

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Red Cross rejected anew a reported P5-million ransom demand for the release of one of three abducted International Committee of the Red Cross staff members. PNRC chairman Sen. Richard Gordon said this Tuesday even as he said he has not officially received word about the supposed ransom demand. "Ang pera namin binibigay namin sa tao, sa volunteer, ang inaabot na pera sa amin. Yan ang ginagawa sa pinakamahirap na tao (Contributions to the Red Cross go to its volunteers in the field who are helping those in need)," Gordon said in an interview on dwIZ radio. He said that in the 150 years of the Red Cross, many of its workers had been kidnapped or killed in the line of duty, but the Red Cross never paid ransom for them. "Ang Red Cross, 150 years kami. May na-kidnap at namatay sa amin noong araw pero yan hindi kami nagbabayad ng ransom (The Red Cross has been around for 150 years. Some members had been kidnapped, some killed in the line of duty. But we never paid ransom for them)," he said. Former kidnap victim Octavio Dinampo, a professor at Mindanao State University, said the kidnappers demanded P5 million for the release of Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba. Armed men seized Lacaba, 37; Swiss Andreas Notter, 38; and Italian Eugenio Vagni, 62, in Jolo town in Sulu last Jan. 15. Dinampo was kidnapped in Maimbung, Sulu, last June 8, along with a television news crew. The professor and Drilon's team were released in mid-June. On Monday, the ICRC said its three staff members renewed contact with their colleagues last weekend. ICRC Asia-Pacific operations head Alain Aeschlimann said they had telephone contact with the three, who said they were "safe and in good health." "We have had contact by telephone with (Mary-Jean Lacaba, Eugenio Vagni and Andreas Notter) the past 48 hours. They say that considering the circumstances, they are doing alright. Their voices sounded composed and calm and we hope that this is a positive sign," Aeschlimann said in an article on the ICRC website. But he also reiterated the ICRC's call to the abductors of the three to release them. "The ICRC reiterates its call for their rapid and unconditional release," he said. Unidentified armed men seized Lacaba, Vagni and Notter in Sulu last Jan. 15. The three got in touch with their colleagues initially but contact was suddenly cut late last week. Aeschlimann said the ICRC "genuinely appreciates" all efforts to bring the three colleagues safely home and the concern of so many people inside and outside the ICRC for their welfare. On the other hand, he declined to make further comments, lest they endanger the three. "We are concerned that any further public comments by us at this stage could complicate efforts to bring about the safe and rapid return of Marie-Jean, Eugenio and Andreas. I am sure both the media and the public understand this," he said. - GMANews.TV