Press Release
April 5, 2009

I have personal and institutional responsibility over 2 ICRC men - Gordon

Independent Senator Richard J. Gordon today insisted that he has personal and institutional responsibility to secure a safe and immediate release of his two colleagues at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), made the assertion after Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro branded the senator's efforts for the safe rescue of two remaining ICRC workers as "destructive attempts."

"The words used by Secretary (Gilberto) Teodoro to describe our efforts to help save the lives of the hostages in Sulu are careless and unfortunate," he said in an official statement.

"The lives on the line belong to the Red Cross. I have a personal and institutional responsibility to do everything I can to secure the safe return of the hostages," he added, referring to Swiss Andreas Notter and Italian Eugenio Vagni.

Both Notter and Vagni remain in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf since their abduction on Jan. 15. Their woman colleague, Mary Jean Lacaba, had been released safely last Thursday night.

According to Gordon, the gravitas of his reservation over the government policy or the military action in dealing with the ICRC kidnapping is borne out of his fears that Notter and Vagni may be placed in even greater peril.

"If I have expressed concern about government and military policy or action in Sulu, it is because of the danger they, both the military and the Abu Sayyaf, pose to the lives of the hostages," he said.

Gordon, also a governing board member of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said he should not be faulted if the group holding Notter and Vagni has been calling him up.

"The hostage-takers talk to us, not to Mr. Teodoro or the commanders there. I will not cut off communication with them just to avoid being described as a meddler. At this point, talk is a lifeline in this extremely dangerous situation," he said.

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