Manila says Italian Red Cross captive abandoned by rebels

MANILA, April 23 (Reuters) - An Italian engineer, the last Red Cross captive, is believed to have been abandoned by his kidnappers belonging to an Islamic militant group in the southern Philippines, the police chief said on Thursday.

The government has offered a reward of 500,000 pesos ($10,256) for information on the whereabouts of 62-year-old Eugenio Vagni, who officials said has difficulty walking due to hernia, Philippine National Police chief General Jesus Verzosa said in a statement.

"We have now received reports that Mr. Vagni was already abandoned by his captors," Verzosa said.

Officials earlier said security forces clashed with a group of Islamic rebels holding Vagni on Wednesday but there was no confirmed report of sighting of the captive. (Reporting by Manny Mogato; Editing by Rosemarie Francisco)