Inquireer.net: The Swiss representative of the International Red Cross (ICRC) in the Philippines and two other workers of the said organization were seized at gunpoint by still unidentified men near the Sulo capitol building in Paticul town, Thursday morning, authorities said.
1st Lt. Esteffani Cacho, community information officer of the Western Mindanao Command said, Swiss Andreas Notter, head of the ICRC in the Philippines, Filipino Jean Lacaba and Italian Eugenio Bagni were abducted between 10 and 11 a.m.
Lieutenant General Nelson Allaga, Chief of the Western Mindanao Command, said the alert was raised after the team failed to take their SeaAir flight out of the Southern Philippines province.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines said that no one yet has claimed responsibility of the kidnapping. Sulo Province in Southern Philippines is the home ground of Abu Sayyaf, a local unit of Al Qaeda. Abu Sayyaf has been involved in notorious crime and kidnappings in Southern Philippines. I
t could be ascertained though at this time if the Abu Sayyaf had a hand in this recent incident.
The ICRC group was in Southern Philippines to do some humanitarian works to improve the sanitation conditions of detainees in the area.
The group was inside their ICRC vehicle when they were taken.
The ICRC team earlier was advised of the unstable peace and order situation in the area but the team said that they are neutral group and refused to avail of armed escorts or security protection from the authorities.
The military and police in the area are still in pursuit of the kidnappers.