ZAMBOANGA CITY — Kidnapped International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) worker Eugenio Vagni, an Italian engineer, is expected to be released from Abu Sayyaf captivity anytime, Sen. Richard Gordon said Friday.

“We are expecting his release,” said Gordon, chair of the Philippine National Red Cross.

When pressed why they were expecting the release of the last ICRC hostage, Gordon immediately said: “We have nothing to say.”

Two other ICRC hostages were earlier freed.

“I have spoken with ICRC people but there’s no report of his release, we’re just expecting,” Gordon said.

An Inquirer informant said some local emissaries have been trying to get Vagni, who has been in captivity for 25 weeks, from the hands of his captors, an Abu Sayyaf faction headed by Albader Parad.

“What I learned if magkakasunduan (if there is an agreement) it’s either $1.3 million to as high as $2 million,” the informant said.

When pressed what the amount was for, the source said it was the ransom payment being arranged.

It was not clear whether or not Parad would really agree to free the Italian hostage.

On Wednesday, Parad’s two wives and five children were among 16 people taken into military custody during a raid by government security forces in Sulu.

Earlier the ICRC expressed alarm over the effect of the spate of bombings in Mindanao on the situation of Vagni.

“The news of this week’s incident in Sulu was particularly disturbing to Eugenio’s family and also to his friends and ICRC colleagues,” ICRC Asia-Pacific chief Alain Aeschlimann said in a statement.

Aeschlimann noted that the last time Vagni talked to his family was on June 26.

The ICRC appealed for Vagni’s unconditional and immediate release, noting the Italian needed medical attention.

The ICRC said it was also worried about the safety of the people of Sulu and the other affected provinces.

In the wake of the bombings, the United Nations has imposed a travel restriction for its staff in Mindanao.

Dr. Soe Nyunt-U, UN resident coordinator ad interim, said the precautionary measures aimed to “ensure the safety and security of all staff to allow us to carry out our mission and reach out to targeted beneficiaries.”

“Forthcoming food distributions and missions will recommence as soon as travel restrictions are lifted,” he said.

The UN World Food Program earlier announced the suspension of its relief operations to hundreds of thousands of people affected by fighting in the South. With reports from Kristine L. Alave and Erika Sauler