Italian priest freed in Philippines

National Catholic Reporter, Dec 4, 1998 by Teresa Malcolm

An Italian priest, kidnapped in the Philippines and held for nearly 10 weeks by Muslim rebels, was released physically unharmed Nov. 15.

Fr. Luciano Benedetti told Vatican Radio the day after his release, that he felt "quite good," but was weak "especially in the legs" because he had to "hike through the mountains for long times, many days."

Thirty to 50 armed men overwhelmed the 54-year-old priest and 11 Filipinos at a farm cooperative at a village in the southern Philippines Sept. 8. Within hours, all but Benedetti had been allowed to leave.

His captors, who called themselves the "Lost Command," kept him hostage and demanded ransom from his congregation, the Rome-based Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions.

"Sometimes I felt I was abandoned, because I didn't get any news from outside," he recalled. "Sometimes I felt strong, because I had a very close relationship with God. I had a lot of time for prayer."

Briefs, gathered from news services, correspondents and staff, are compiled and edited by Teresa Malcolm.