Officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) renewed Friday their appeal for the release of Eugenio Vagni as reports of the Italian humanitarian worker being transferred to another armed group surfaced.

Alain Aeschlimann, ICRC head of operations for East Asia, South-East Asia and the Pacific said they are aware of these reports and they are appealing to the "abductors' sense of humanity," especially due to Vagni's medical condition.

"From what Andreas tells us, Eugenio is suffering from a hernia which is making it difficult for him to walk. As far as we know, Eugenio has not been examined by a doctor. We do not know how serious his hernia is and for how long he can keep going without an operation. It goes without saying that we are very worried about these unknowns. We can only hope that his abductors understand that he needs urgent medical care and that nobody will take any action that may put his life in danger," Aeschlimann said.

As of Friday, Vagni has already spent 100 days in captivity since January 15 when he, together fellow humanitarian workers Mary Jean Lacaba and Andreas Notter were captured by the Abu Sayyaf. Vagni's two colleagues have been freed earlier.

"Andreas Notter last saw Eugenio on April 16 when they were separated. Since then the ICRC has not received any news. All of us at the ICRC are very concerned about Eugenio. The fact that two of our colleagues are back with their families does not make the burden easier to bear. For Eugenio's family, the nightmare of this abduction continues. His baby daughter is growing fast, and she has not seen her father for a hundred days. We hope that he will have her in his arms again very soon. There will be no rest for any of us until this crisis is resolved."

While they are maintaining close contact with the authorities, Aeschlimann appealed to rescuers to "avoid taking any action that could compromise Eugenio's safety."

Aeschlimann maintained that the abductions have not affected all ICRC operations in the Philippines.

ICRC continues to assist families who were displaced due to armed conflict in Central Mindanao.

ICRC is working closely with the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) in distributing food and other essential items such as soap and cooking oil to the refugees.

"Our health, water and sanitation programs are continuing, as are our activities in prisons and detention centers throughout the country, with the exception of one project that Mary Jean, Eugenio and Andreas had been working on in Jolo. Last week the ICRC signed a memorandum of understanding with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology concerning the repair and reconstruction of water and hygiene facilities in 18 places of detention throughout the country. This is part of our efforts to help the national authorities resolve humanitarian problems within the prison system," the ICRC official said.

Since the abduction, he said ICRC has been receiving messages of support from individuals and communities who value the group's stance on neutrality and impartiality in favor of humanitarian work.