2 remaining Red Cross captives doing fine – Sulu exec

MANILA, Philippines – Swiss Andreas Notter and Italian Eugenio Vagni – the two remaining captives of the Abu Sayyaf – are alive and doing fine, according to a Sulu official. Sulu Vice Governor Lady Ann Sahidulla made the assurance as she emerged from an infirmary in Jolo, Sulu where Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba was brought after she was released by her abductors Thursday night. “Okay naman sila. Nandoon sila at sabi nila thank you very much, vice governor [They were okay. They were there and they even told me, ‘Thank you, vice governor’]," said Sahidulla. The Sulu official said she was supposed to send an emissary to negotiate with the abductors on Thursday, but ended up trekking up to the Abu Sayyaf’s lair herself. “Ang nangyari ay direct na kaya naglakas loob na ako… Siguro dahil sa panalangin nagbago ang kanilang isip. At least maganda ang usapan. [What happened was that I spoke with them directly. Maybe because of my prayers, they changed their minds. At least our conversation went well.] It’s a long story," Sahidulla said. She did not immediately say the demand that the Abu Sayyaf apparently made when Lacaba was handed over to her. The vice governor said she was able to speak with Albader Parad and Dr. Abu, the two leaders of the bandit group. After her release, a visibly exhausted Lacaba – clad in jeans, a jacket over a shirt, and a red headdress – was brought to the Trauma Center of a military hospital in Jolo Island, Sulu, where she was served with arrozcaldo [rice porridge with chicken]. Sign of peace In her brief conversation with the Abu Sayyaf leaders, Sahidulla said the bandits released Lacaba as a sign of peace and goodwill. “Iyon ang daan para ipaalam nila sa bayan na kabutihan ang gusto na nila, kapayapaan na. Sabi nila gusto nila ipakita na gusto na nilang magpakabuti,na magbagong buhay [kaya] binigay nila [si Lacaba] ng kusang loob," Sahidulla said. [They released Lacaba as a sign of peace. They said they wanted to become changed men. That is why they volunteered to release Lacaba] The Filipino hostage was freed on the 77th day of her captivity. Government forces were earlier pulled out from Indanan town in an attempt to secure the safety of the hostages. But when the Abu Sayyaf did not release any hostage, military troops were sent back to the field. Appeal Aside from the Philippine government, several individuals also tried making last-minute appeals to the abductors including International Committee of the Red Cross president Jakob Kellenberger and the families of Lacaba and Vagni. In an exclusive phone interview with GMA News, Vagni’s wife Kwana asked the Abu Sayyaf to release his husband and the two other hostages. Kwana said the abduction also made her worry about their one-year-old daughter Alicia. "I would like to appeal to the kidnappers holding Eugenio Vagni, Andreas Notter and Mary Jaean to please release, to lead them back to their families," Kwana said. The latest appeal came from the Swiss Federal Council, the seven-member executive council that constitutes the government of Switzerland and serves as the Swiss collective head of state. The Swiss council called on the bandits to spare the lives of and “show compassion" for the three hostages, vowing that the Swiss government would continue coordinating with the ICRC and the Philippine government to resolve the issue. – GMANews.TV