ICRC president appeals anew to kidnappers

MANILA, Philippines - With time running out, the president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) made another appeal to the Abu Sayyaf Monday night to release its three workers who were abducted last Jan. 15. ICRC president Jakob Kellenberger said there is no ideology or religious law that can justify killing Mary Jean Lacaba, Eugenio Vagni and Andreas Notter. "Our message to Abu Sayyaf is: please spare and release Mary Jean, Eugenio and Andreas," said Kellenberger, in a statement on the ICRC Web site (www.icrc.org). "All they were doing was helping people in need in your area. There is no ideology or religious law that could justify killing them," he added. Kellenberger made a similar appeal to the Abu Sayyaf last week, after meeting with Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita. The Abu Sayyaf had threatened to behead one of the hostages if the military does not pull back from some areas in Sulu. It gave the government until 2 p.m. Tuesday to comply with its demand or it beheads one of the hostages. But the Interior Department said the new demands of the Abu Sayyaf were becoming more and more impossible to comply with. In the meantime, Kellenberger also assured the relatives of the three hostages they are doing everything they can to make sure they are safe and can return to their homes. "We will do everything in our power to ensure that Mary Jean, Eugenio and Andreas remain safe and can return to their families, who miss them desperately. Their children, parents, siblings, spouses, friends and colleagues will not give up hope of seeing them again soon," he said. - GMANews.TV