MANILA: The Philippines has sent about 100 extra combat-trained police officers to a remote southern island to pressure militants to free a Red Cross worker held for over three months, officials said yesterday.

Talks between a group of Muslim preachers and rebels from the Abu Sayyaf continue alongside to secure the peaceful release of 62-year-old Italian engineer Eugenio Vagni, Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, military spokesman, said yesterday.

“We are directing to their sense of reason to release Vagni because they no longer have financial, personnel and war materiel support systems,” Arevalo said.

He also pointed out that the kidnappers would have a hard time running around with a weak hostage in tow.

“Vagni is sick so the only thing for them to do is just release him,” he said. Vagni is believed to be suffering from hernia and needs urgent surgery

Arevalo added that the kidnappers should realize by now that the government and the military would not give in to their demand for ransom or a pullout of government troops in Sulu.

Two other Red Cross captives — Swiss national Andreas Notter and Filipino engineer Mary Jean Lacaba — have been freed. Notter walked out of rebel captivity on Saturday while Lacaba was freed on April 2. Newspapers have said a ransom was paid for Lacaba.

Arevalo, who professed surprise at Notter’s release, said the calibrated military pressure had helped secure the latter’s freedom.

He said Notter had told the military that the pressure kept the bandits on their toes, and that they could only move around a constricted area of about 20-30 kilometers a day.

“This welcome development manifests the enduring commitment of the security forces to give primacy to the life and safety of the kidnap victims by allowing negotiations for their release and keeping the military or rescue operation the final option,” Arevalo said.

Expressing relief that Notter was now free, Gen. Alexander Yano, the Armed Forces chief of staff, said nonmilitary avenues were being explored for Vagni’s release.

“All nonviolent mechanisms are being exhausted to ensure that this release of Vagni will happen in the soonest possible time. This is a product of interagency effort to utilize nonviolent courses of action to ensure the safe release of the victims,” Yano said, adding that the military might not release sensitive details about how the captive walked free to avoid compromising efforts for Vagni’s release.

As careful in his words, Philippine National Police Director Gen. Jesus Verzosa said there was “a fire fight” between the bandits and government troops on Friday night.

He did not elaborate beyond saying that the PNP was maintaining the security cordon in Sulu “also to protect the civilian population.”

Fresh special police units were flown on Friday from the central Philippines to reinforce about 1,500 security forces trying to restrict the kidnappers’ movement in the interior of Jolo island.

“We are applying pressure just enough to achieve our tactical and strategic ends,” Arevalo said.

“An assault to free the hostage is the last and final option. We’re allowing negotiations to resolve this crisis peacefully.”