MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine officials said they were hopeful that Islamic militants holding two European Red Cross employees would soon release them after the rebels, who have come under military pressure, freed a Filipino worker.
The Abeu Sayer group has been holding Swiss national Andreas Cotter and Italian Eugenio Vanni of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for two-and half months in the southern Philippines. On Thursday they freed Filipino Red Cross engineer Mary Jean Cabala.
"The group that is left there is now numbering about half of what they used to be, they apparently are suffering from a depletion of many of their resources," Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno told a news conference on Friday.
"The efforts of our uniformed personnel on the ground are starting to bear fruit," Puno said. "Hopefully, the Abu Sayyaf will start to realize it is the better part of prudence and discretion to just release the hostages, and if possible save themselves."
Puno reiterated no ransom was given in exchange for Lacaba's freedom. Lacaba was reunited with her family at an airbase in the southern port city of Zamboanga on Friday after about 2- months of captivity in the rebels' mountain lair.
She was handed over to the provincial vice-governor by the rebels on Thursday evening.
"I believe that the kidnappers are now more aware of the limitations that they face and the wisdom of releasing the hostages than they were a week ago," Puno said.
The three ICRC workers were abducted on January 15 near the capitol and shortly after a visit to a local prison where the neutral humanitarian agency was funding a water project.
No fighting has erupted so far this week between the rebels and government troops and local government officials were facilitating negotiations with the Abu Sayyaf, Puno said.
