Reference :
V-P-CH-E-00487
Date :
16/07/2009
Caption :
Geneva, ICRC headquarters. Eugenio Vagni, the last of three staff members abducted in the southern Philippines on 15 January, is welcomed by the ICRC personnel.
Confidentiality level :
public
Publication restrictions :
publication without restrictions
Description :
News release 09/140
Philippines: ICRC confirms that Eugenio Vagni is free
Manila / Geneva (ICRC) – Eugenio Vagni, the last of three International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) staff members abducted in the southern Philippines on 15 January, is free. Fellow abductees Mary Jean Lacaba and Andreas Notter regained their freedom on 2 April and 18 April respectively.
Mr Vagni regained his freedom in the early hours of July 12 Manila time. He is tired after 179 days in captivity, but given the circumstances is doing remarkably well.
"The ICRC is relieved and happy that Mr Vagni will soon be back with his family and friends, who have been living a painful nightmare for almost six months and cannot wait to see him return home," said Jean-Daniel Tauxe, the head of the ICRC's delegation in the Philippines.
"We would like to express our profound gratitude to all those who have worked so hard in recent months to secure the release of Mary Jean, Andreas and Eugenio," he added. "In particular, we would like to thank the Governor of Sulu, Abdusakur Tan, the Vice Governor of Sulu, Nur-Ana I. Sahidulla, and the Task Force Comet Commander, Major General Juancho Sabban. The tremendous efforts of national and local authorities, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police have contributed greatly to the resolution of this long crisis."
The ICRC remains concerned about other hostages still being held captive in the southern Philippines.
The ICRC has been working in the Philippines since 1982. It provides protection and assistance for those most in need, particularly internally displaced people (IDPs) in Mindanao. In addition, it visits detainees to assess their conditions of detention.
Original material :
digital
Resolution :
3872x2592
Orientation :
landscape
Colour/B&W :
colour
