Abducted ICRC workers contact colleagues anew

MANILA, Philippines - One month after they were abducted in southern Philippines, three workers of the International Committee of the Red Cross contacted their colleagues in Manila to inform them they are still together and unharmed. ICRC head of operations for East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Alain Aeschlimann said Mary Jean Lacaba, Eugenio Vagni and Andreas Notter also made contact with their loved ones this week. "They say they are doing okay, despite the difficult conditions in which they are living. We were very relieved to hear that they remain unharmed and are still together. Over the past five weeks, we've spoken to them many times and we are always grateful to hear their voices," Aeschlimann said on the ICRC website. Members of the Abu Sayyaf abducted Lacaba, Vagni and Notter last Jan. 15 in Sulu. Notter was recently interviewed on Iglesia ni Cristo-run dzEC radio where he complained of their worsening condition as a result of the recent military offensive against their abductors. Aeschlimann said the ICRC is "doing everything we can to find a positive outcome to this situation as quickly as possible." He said what is paramount is that they should remain out of harm's way and that any efforts to free them should in no way endanger their safety. "We continue to call for the swift and safe release of Eugenio, Mary Jean and Andreas and we remain hopeful that they will soon be home with their families," he said. He added there are many people who are working very hard to resolve this situation and the ICRC appreciates these efforts. "Our colleagues are ever present in our thoughts and our hearts go out to their families, who are waiting for the day when this will all be over and they can hold their loved ones in their arms," he said. On the other hand, Aeschlimann admitted his ICRC colleagues in the Philippines "are obviously deeply affected by this situation." He said he was very impressed at how the ICRC team on the ground is handling this, saying they continue their work "despite the stress of knowing that their colleagues are being held hostage." "They hope, as we all do at the ICRC, that Mary Jean, Andreas and Eugenio are safe and that they know how much they are missed," he said. "The ICRC remains steadfast in its commitment to assisting and protecting the victims of the armed conflict, particularly in Central Mindanao, where many families are still living in displacement centres. We continue to distribute food and essential household items such as soap and cooking oil to those who were forced to flee their homes," he added. He added ICRC health, water and sanitation activities are ongoing in Mindanao, as well as in Luzon and Visayas. In addition, ICRC work in prisons and detention centres continues, with the exception of one water and sanitation project that the three abducted workers had been working on in Jolo. "We work hand-in-hand with the Philippine National Red Cross Society, whose dedicated volunteers provide essential support on a range of activities, from distributing assistance to the displaced to registering people who have been forced to flee. The support of the Philippine National Red Cross is invaluable and we appreciate their genuine and heartfelt concern for our colleagues," he said. - GMANews.TV