Full Version: Vagni released from Abu Sayyaf captivity in Sulu
MANILA, Philippines - Abu Sayyaf bandits have released Italian Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni after nearly six months of captivity in the southern Philippine province of Sulu, police and military officials said.
Sulu police officer-in-charge Chief Inspector Amil Baanan said Vagni was released 12:45 a.m. Sunday somewhere in the vicinity of Lagasan Higad in Maimbung town.
Vagni then arrived in Jolo town at 1:10 a.m., Baanan said.
Specific details surrounding Vagni's release, however, were not immediately available.
In Manila, military information chief Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr. confirmed Vagni's release, although he admitted having no details of the Italian national's freedom from Abu Sayyaf captivity.
"Yes, he had been released," Brawner told GMANews.TV, adding that Vagni is presently under the custody of Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, commander of Joint Task Force Comet.
Brawner said a military aircraft was to fly to Jolo, Sulu around 3 a.m. Sunday with Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and Armed Forces chief General Victor Ibrado among its passengers.
Prisoner swap?
But Brawner could not say whether Vagni's release was a case of 'prisoner swap.'
On Tuesday, government security forces arrested six suspected Abu Sayyaf personalities in Indanan town, including Rowena “Honey" Aksan and Nursima “Simang" Annudden – Abu Sayyaf sub-leader Albader Parad's 1st and 3rd wives, respectively. They were arrested hours after an improvised explosive device rocked Jolo town, killing 2 people.
"I do not know about that," Brawner said.
Parad's group had been holding Vagni since he was abducted January 15 in Patikul town. Seized along with Vagni were fellow Red Cross workers Swiss Andreas Notter and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba.
Lacaba was first to be released on April 2. Notter's freedom came on April 18. - GMANews.TV
Tip, ransom money, what's the difference? 
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/210789/it-s-...ot-ransom-money
It’s a tip, not ransom money
Sulu vice governor Lady Ann Sahidulla Monday denied she gave ransom money to the abductors of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) worker Eugenio Vagni who was released last Sunday after he was held captive for 178 days since January.
Sahidulla said the P50,000 came from her own pocket and was a 'Sadaca' or a 'sign of goodwill' out of happiness after the release of Vagni.
"Yung sinabi na P50,000 is not a ransom, it's a goodwill...galing talaga sa puso ko. Na release na talaga si Vagni, masaya ang puso ko," Sahidulla told reporters in a briefing at the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) headquarters Monday.
The lady governor recalled that the negotiation for Vagni's release took almost a month.
Sahidulla said she received several calls from Abu Sayaff leader Albader Parad beginning last Saturday when she had her medical check-up in Zamboanga.
Later, when she went to Jolo, Parad asked her for a meeting in the afternoon.
"At 4 pm tumawag sya ulit and sabi niya, are you proceeding? Can I request yung asawa ko si Honey? So he said, sige punta na kayo dito," she related adding that Parad requested for coke and ice cream before their meeting in a remote part of the forest of Parang in Indanan, Sulu where a guide escorted her to reach the meeting place chosen by the Abu Sayaff leader.
When they reached the meeting place, the Abu Sayaff leader asked Sahidulla to ask the government for development programs in Sulu in exchange for Vagni's freedom.
"Sabi ko bakit hindi natin tulungan? Nandito ang president ng 3P foundation at ang chairman ng Philippine National Red Cross, at iba pang line agencies. Ang development hindi basta basta magagawa pero subukan natin," she told the rebel group leader.
Sahidulla said she was escorted by the military and police during the meeting.
She was told to leave the secret meeting place after gunshots were exchanged by the government forces and the rebel group.
At 8:30 pm, Parad called her again and gave the instructions that led her to Vagni.
PNRC chairman Senator Richard Gordon said this is the right time for the government to focus on the full development of Sulu.
During the encounter with government forces, Parad lost two of his brothers while another Abu Sayaff member died, Gordon said.
http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/210789/it-s-...ot-ransom-money
It’s a tip, not ransom money
Sulu vice governor Lady Ann Sahidulla Monday denied she gave ransom money to the abductors of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) worker Eugenio Vagni who was released last Sunday after he was held captive for 178 days since January.
Sahidulla said the P50,000 came from her own pocket and was a 'Sadaca' or a 'sign of goodwill' out of happiness after the release of Vagni.
"Yung sinabi na P50,000 is not a ransom, it's a goodwill...galing talaga sa puso ko. Na release na talaga si Vagni, masaya ang puso ko," Sahidulla told reporters in a briefing at the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) headquarters Monday.
The lady governor recalled that the negotiation for Vagni's release took almost a month.
Sahidulla said she received several calls from Abu Sayaff leader Albader Parad beginning last Saturday when she had her medical check-up in Zamboanga.
Later, when she went to Jolo, Parad asked her for a meeting in the afternoon.
"At 4 pm tumawag sya ulit and sabi niya, are you proceeding? Can I request yung asawa ko si Honey? So he said, sige punta na kayo dito," she related adding that Parad requested for coke and ice cream before their meeting in a remote part of the forest of Parang in Indanan, Sulu where a guide escorted her to reach the meeting place chosen by the Abu Sayaff leader.
When they reached the meeting place, the Abu Sayaff leader asked Sahidulla to ask the government for development programs in Sulu in exchange for Vagni's freedom.
"Sabi ko bakit hindi natin tulungan? Nandito ang president ng 3P foundation at ang chairman ng Philippine National Red Cross, at iba pang line agencies. Ang development hindi basta basta magagawa pero subukan natin," she told the rebel group leader.
Sahidulla said she was escorted by the military and police during the meeting.
She was told to leave the secret meeting place after gunshots were exchanged by the government forces and the rebel group.
At 8:30 pm, Parad called her again and gave the instructions that led her to Vagni.
PNRC chairman Senator Richard Gordon said this is the right time for the government to focus on the full development of Sulu.
During the encounter with government forces, Parad lost two of his brothers while another Abu Sayaff member died, Gordon said.
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