Highlights in the 11-week Sulu hostage crisis

Jan. 15 — Gunmen abduct Red Cross workers Italian Eugenio Vagni, Swiss Andreas Notter and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba on Jolo island after visiting a water sanitation project at the provincial jail. Jan. 16 — Hostages call colleagues to say they were unharmed. Jan. 20 — Philippine military chief rejects a demand from the kidnappers to halt rescue operations. Jan. 26 — The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has again made contact with the hostages and they are "composed and calm." Jan. 28 — Abu Sayyaf commanders Albader Parad and Abu Pula demand "education and development projects" for impoverished Muslim communities in exchange for the hostages. Feb. 1 — Kidnappers demand that troops withdraw from the area as a condition for the release. Feb. 5 — In a radio interview, the hostages appeal to authorities to negotiate for their freedom. Feb. 6 — Parad tells a television network they will not negotiate unless government troops leave their area. Feb. 9 — Kidnappers try to break through a military cordon outside Indanan township on Jolo, setting off a clash that wounds five Philippine marines. March 16 — Officials say Philippine marines again clash with Parad's group, wounding him. A total of five marines and seven militants are killed. The hostages are unharmed. March 19 — The military pulls back from an Abu Sayyaf stronghold in exchange for a pledge of freedom for one hostage. Parad threatens to kill all three if the military launches a new attack. March 21 — Philippine Red Cross chief says the militants have reneged on an agreement to free a hostage and are demanding a larger military pullout from Jolo. March 25 — Parad threatens to behead one of the hostages in one week's time unless government troops pull back. March 28 — Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno says troops have pulled back but rules out a larger withdrawal. March 30 — Parad sets 2 p.m. Tuesday deadline for the beheading of a Red Cross hostage. March 31 — The Sulu governor declares state of emergency as deadline expires. April 2 — Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba was released by the Abu Sayyaf. - AP, GMANews.TV