MANILA, Philippines?(UPDATE 4) Eugenio Vagni, the Italian worker of the International Committee Red Cross (ICRC) who was held captive for six months by extremist rebels in Sulu, was freed at around 1:05 a.m. Sunday.

In a television interview, Senator Richard Gordon, Philippine National Red Cross chairman, maintained that neither the Italian government nor the Red Cross paid ransom. "The ICRC or the PNRC will not pay any ransom...The Italian government, they did not pay ransom as far as I know," he said.

But the two wives of Abu Sayyaf leader Albader Parad who were held for questioning by the military a couple of days ago were released prior to the release of the Italian humanitarian worker, Sulu Vice Governor Lady Ann Sahidulla told reporters Sunday.

She said that upon Parad's instructions via cell phone, she brought one of Parad?s two wives to a remote village in Maimbung, Sulu sometime past midnight last night and that shortly afterward a group of men released Vagni to her (Sahidulla).



Sahidulla also said she handed over P50,000 in cash as "board and lodging fee" after one of the men asked for "panigarilyo"(cigarette money). She said the money was not a ransom payment.

She added that the men holding Vagni seemed to have come from a group different from Parad's.

Parad?s two wives were invited for ?questioning? by the military a few days ago but Sahidulla said they were later released to her custody.

Sahidulla said Parad's fear for his wives' safety contributed to Vagni's release.

"I told him (Parad), why they don?t you release Vagni and go on with changing your lives. His wives are being involved now, is that what he wanted? The military is going after them and his men are being killed in each encounter. Also, the civilian population is suffering," Sahidulla told reporters.

"(Vagni) is very grateful that he's safe. He didn't ask for anything. He didn't know where he was taken for six months," she said.

Vagni was flown to Manila from Zamboanga Sunday shortly after he was freed by his Abu Sayyaf captors.



Vagni wore a green jacket over a black shirt and jogging pants. He seemed to have difficulty moving as he clutched the lower part of his belly while walking.

It was not immediately clear if Vagni would meet with President Macapagal-Arroyo later today. Some military officials hinted he might have to go to a hospital first.

The plane carrying Vagni arrived at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City around 11 a.m. Accompanied by his Thai wife, Vagni was met by his colleagues from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Italian Ambassador Reubens Fedele.

Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, in a statement, had expressed "great satisfaction following the freeing, which has just happened, of our compatriot Eugenio Vagni."

Frattini also passed on his "gratitude to the Philippine authorities."

Jean-Daniel Tauxe, head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) delegation in the Philippines, said Vagni is ?doing remarkably well,? and although tired, is in good spirits.

"The ICRC is relieved and happy that Mr Vagni will soon be back with his family and friends, who have been living a painful nightmare for almost six months and cannot wait to see him return home," Tauxe said in a statement.

The ICRC official thanked local officials who helped secure the release of Vagni and two other ICRC workers who were taken hostage with him last January and who were freed ahead of the Italian.

"We would like to express our profound gratitude to all those who have worked so hard in recent months to secure the release of Mary Jean, Andreas and Eugenio," Tauxe said.

Tauxe in particular thanked Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, Vice Governor Nur-Ana Sahidulla, and the Task Force Comet Commander, Major General Juancho Sabban.

?The tremendous efforts of national and local authorities, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police have contributed greatly to the resolution of this long crisis,? he said.

Vagni, 62, was seized by the militant group Abu Sayyaf with ICRC colleagues Andreas Notter of Switzerland and Mary Jean Lacaba of the Philippines in January while on a humanitarian mission on Jolo island.

In March a spokesman for Abu Sayyaf said one of the three captives would be beheaded if government forces did not withdraw from the island.

Manila initially rejected the demand, but relented after the ICRC's president in Geneva made a rare public appeal for cooperation to save the lives of the three.

Troops retreated from the Abu Sayyaf's jungle area, effectively leaving five towns on the island of Jolo under the group's control.

Notter and Lacaba were freed the following month, although the terms of their release were not disclosed by either side.

The militants last month made a ransom demand for Vagni's release.