Sayyaf continues to move around Vagni

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The Abu Sayyaf continued to move its Italian captive around while putting up a blocking force in an effort to deter a possible rescue of the victim in the jungles of Indanan town, Sulu, according to a police official.

Senior Superintendent Ismail Muhipuddin, Sulu provincial police commander, said the Abu Sayyaf group of Albader Parad and Umbra Jumdail alias Dr. Abu Pula has designated a small group whose only task is to move hostage Red Cross volunteer Italian Eugenio Vagni.

“There has been no physical sightings of the kidnap victim because we believe he is being moved around to avoid our security forces,” Muhipuddin said.

He expressed belief that the 62-year-old International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) volunteer is being kept in some areas in Indanan town.

Vagni was abducted last Jan. 15 along with two other ICRC workers, Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba and Swiss Andreas Notter.

Lacaba and Notter were freed separately last April 2 and April 18.

Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, chief of Task Force Comet based in Jolo, said that based on the series of encounters they initiated against the group of Parad and Pula, there were no indications that Vagni is with the main militant faction. – Roel Pareño