By Florante S. Solmerin

THE head of the Crisis Committee, Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, has authorized the use of combat troops to rescue the remaining hostage victim belonging to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) which continue to be beld by the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu.

But Tan, in a telephone interview Wednesday evening, said, the use of military rescue is inevitable “if there is an opportunity.”

“Given the opportunity, we will do that. When we see the opportunity, of course, we want to extricate (Vagni),” Tan said.

When asked if there is already an actual opportunity on theground to rescue the ailing Vagni, Tan just said: “We are still looking at that.”

Tan is said to be suffering from hernia and needs medical attention.

Tan said he issued the order shortly after the escape of Swiss Andreas Notter last Saturday. Notter ran away from his captors as the bandits were evading possible clash with the troops.
A third ICRC hostage, Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba, was released by the kidnappers last April 2 to Sulu Vice Gov. Lady Ann Sahidulla.

When asked what prompted him to order the rescue operation, Tan said: “We have to consider the health condition of Mr. Vagni.”

The military on Tuesday said that Vagni “is not ambulant and must have to be carried as they (bandits) move.”

Intelligence information also said that Vagni is under tight guard to prevent him from escaping.

Told that a rescue operation would endanger the life of Vagni, Tan said: “That is the risk that we have to take but these (operations) are calculated. We are weighing our options.”

“Gordon has been saying that his health condition is deteriorating, like this and like that,” said Tan, referring to Sen. Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross who has communication lines with the kidnappers.

Reached for a comment, Sulu-based military spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo said he is not aware of an actual order to the government forces, who have been cordoning off the bandits, to rescue Vagni.

“I have no official information to that effect…I’ll check on the veracity of that order, we don’t want to commit a mistake,” said Arevalo.