Abu Sayyaf Left With No Option But to Free Vagni
Loading ...The Abu Sayyaf has been left with no other option but to release its remaining hostage, Eugenio Vagni, following the recovery of Swiss Andreas Notter early Saturday, a military spokesman said Sunday.
Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, who is based in Sulu, noted that the bandits are running out of personnel and ammunition.
“They are deprived of logistics support so they have no other option but to release [Vagni],” he said.
Notter was recovered by security forces in Indanan in Sulu province, leaving Vagni as the last member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) who is still in the hands of the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group.
Officials said Notter ran away while his captors were trying to avoid a clash with security forces. The bandits were supposedly trying to break through the cordon put up against them.
Last April 2, the Abu Sayyaf released Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba also in Indanan to Vice Gov. Lady Ann Sahidulla. Authorities said no ransom was paid for Lacaba’s freedom.
Arevalo said the leverage of the Abu Sayyaf has been weakened by the recovery of Notter.
“We have negated their position of strength because it’s very visible or apparent that they are not going to get ransom or a military pullout,” the official said.
“Also, this may not be so apparent but nonetheless important that they are deprived of mass base support, including their lines of subsistence in terms of logistics, war materiel, and reinforcement of personnel,” he added.
Arevalo noted that government forces are “strategically located in areas where we know they [Abu Sayyaf] are.
Source: GMANews.TV
