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MANILA - Italian Red Cross worker Eugenio Vagni, who was released by the Abu Sayyaf Group in Maimbung, Sulu after holding him captive for nearly six months, arrived Sunday morning here from Zamboanga City.

The plane carrying Vagni, 62, landed at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City past 11 a.m. Accompanied by the crisis committee, the Italian was welcomed by members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Italian ambassador Rubens Anna Fedele.

Reports said Vagni will be flown out of the Philippines as soon as possible.

Vagni was seized by 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, a hotbed of militant activity.

The gunmen freed his fellow hostages separately under unexplained circumstances in April.

Earlier, Vagni told reporters that he spoke to his family by mobile phone hours after he was picked up by government forces on the southern island of Jolo.

Asked what he told them, he said: "We'll see each other soon. I love you all."

Although thin, with his ribs visible, Vagni told reporters: "My health is okay."

"I feel free," he said as he was escorted into a military camp.

Despite reportedly suffering from a hernia, Vagni, clad in a T-shirt and jogging pants was able to walk unaided.

He told ABS-CBN News that he had a difficult time especially in the last couple of months of his captivity. What kept him going was the thought of being reunited with his family.

Vagni said he is looking forward to his reunion with his wife, who is Thai, and their youngest child who is reportedly a little over a year old.

The last time he saw his daughter was Christmas of 2008 in Bangkok. He then had to go to the Philippines because of the relief efforts in Central Mindanao.

He said he holds no bitterness against his captors and the Filipino people. He said he learned a lot from his experience as he realized what things are important in life.

Reports said Vagni is looking at the positive side of the experience though he become teary-eyed when he conveyed sympathy to the families of soldiers who were killed in encounters from military efforts from military efforts to put pressure on group that kidnapped him.

‘Remarkably well’

The Italian was reportedly doing “remarkably well” after his release.

"He's doing remarkably well considering the number of days he spent in captivity," ICRC spokeswoman Anastasia Isyuk told AFP.

“Pumayat siya pero mukhang okay naman,” said Sulu Vice Gov. Lady Ann Sahidulla.

Abu Sayyaf Islamist group handed him over to Sahidulla, who had previously negotiated for Vagni's release, shortly after midnight.

Vagni said he lost 20 kilos, adding that he was even thinner, “practically skin and bones” three months ago.

Aside from dealing with hernia in captivity, Vagni revealed that he was also stricken with cholera. He thought he would die already but fortunately, medicines were brought for him. Vagni added that a Filipino, whom he did not want to identify, treated him.

The Italian remarked that it was a “miracle he was able to recover from cholera.”

Vagni shared that he is very fit because he engages in various sports including taekwando.

He added that wants to take a break from work so he can build up his muscle tone because of all the weight he lost.

He shared that his diet in captivity mostly consisted of rice and fish. He was able to eat a hearty breakfast with eggs on Sunday, noting that it was one of the things he missed the most.

There had been widespread concern over Vagni’s health during his captivity due to reports that he was ailing and unable to walk.

Vagni was taken to a Jolo military hospital and "underwent a medical check-up at the trauma hospital inside the camp," a military spokesman said.

Vagni has been flown to Zamboanga City on Sunday morning where he was met at the airport by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Victor Ibrado and Western Mindanao Command chief Lt. Gen. Nelson Allaga.

In a brief press conference in Zamboanga, Vagni thanked those who worked for his release including Sahidulla, Task Force Comet Commander Juancho Sabban and members of the ICRC.

Vagni's release came after Ibrado's first visit as AFP chief-of-staff to Sulu and Basilan, the two island provinces that have been beset by a rise in kidnapping and bombing incidents in the past few months.

Prisoner swap

ICRC’s Isyuk declined to discuss the terms of his release while stressing that the international aid agency did not pay ransom.

Quoting unnamed sources, ABS-CBN reported that Vagni would be effectively swapped for the two wives of Abu Sayyaf leader Albader Parad who were arrested along with four other kidnapping suspects in Jolo on Tuesday.

Sources of ABS-CBN correspondent Ces Drilon had said that first and third wives would be exchanged for Vagni's freedom aside from a pledge for the implementation of development projects.

Aside from the exchange of prisoners, Sahidulla told ABS-CBN News said that a “small” payment was also handed to the Abu Sayyaf for Vagni’s “accommodation.”

"I can't say anything about that," Isyuk said. "The Red Cross has said in the past that it will pay no ransom and we maintain that policy."

Vagni also said he had no idea of a so-called swap of wives in exchange for his freedom.

Released for SONA?

Pressure had been mounting on the military to secure Vagni with just over two weeks to go before President Arroyo's State of the Nation Address on July 27.

In 2007, kidnapped Italian priest Father Giancarlo Bossi was released just five days before the SONA.

Gen. Ibrado denied any pressure was put on the military to get Vagni in time for the SONA, but admitted that Vagni's freedom will remove a big thorn off the government's chest.

Sabban and Sulu Governor Sakur Tan earlier expressed confidence that the release of Vagni was imminent. —reports from Ces Drilon, ABS-CBN News; ANC; Manny Mogato, Reuters; Jay Ruiz, ABS-CBN News, Nickee Bautlangan, ABS-CBN News Sulu, Agence France-Presse, radio dzMM