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Philippines: Kidnappers seek talks on hostages
 (AKI) - Philippine vice-president Manuel "Noli" De Castro on Wednesday said he was prepared to go into the jungles in the country's south to negotiate the release of three aid workers being held hostage by Abu Sayyaf militants.The Red Cross workers, Italian Eugenio Vagni, Swiss Andreas Notter and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba were abducted from their car on the Muslim-majority island of Jolo after a humanitarian visit to a local prison three weeks ago. "Our government is doing everything to rescue and free the victims as soon as possible," De Castro said. "If I can help to secure their release, I am wholeheartedly ready to render my service and assistance." De Castro released a statement a day after kidnappers allegedly claimed that they were open to talks but demanded the vice president head the government negotiation panel. According to the Philippines' GMTV, De Castro said he needed the authorisation of the army but he wanted to uphold the government's policy that no ransom should be paid to the kidnappers. The request for De Castro's involvement is believed to have come from Albader Parad, one of the leaders of Abu Sayyaf, who was interviewed by telephone by journalist Arlyn dela Cruz from the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper, published on Wednesday. Dela Cruz said that Parad passed the telephone to the aid workers and he spoke to Andreas Notter and Mary Jean Lacaba but they could not communicate because the line was unclear. However, he confirmed that the three hostages were in good health. "We are fine," Andreas Notter reportedly told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in the telephone interview. "They treat us fine, but my colleagues suffered severe diarrhoea," Notter said, adding that his fellow captives were now doing better after their office sent medication. Parad also invited the Italian Ambassador, Rubens Anna Fedele, to join a team headed by De Castro and meet him. De Castro seems to have been chosed because he played the role of mediator in 2000 and helped negotiate the release of several people kidnapped by Abu Sayyaf. Notter, 38, was kidnapped on January 15 along with Eugenio Vagni, 62, and Mary-Jean Lacaba, 37, while on a humanitarian mission on the southern island of Jolo for the Red Cross. He said all three were being held together, and were allowed to regularly call their families and colleagues. Posted by: Fred 2009-02-05 |
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