An Italian missionary who spent more than five weeks in the hands of Islamist guerrillas in the Philippines has returned to work in the country, Italian news agency AsiaNews said on Tuesday.
Giancarlo Bossi, 58, will not return to his former parish but will instead take up a position as priest at Maria Queen of the Apostles in Paranaque, Manila, the agency said.
The so-called ''good giant of Mindanao'' had always said he wanted to continue his work in the country despite his ordeal last year.
The Milan-born missionary was seized last June in the Zamboanga Peninsula, on the southern Philippine island of Mindanao, while on his way to celebrate mass as parish priest of Payao.
Bossi, who suffers from a mild heart condition, lost 20 kg in 39 days of captivity on a meagre fish-and-rice diet but was otherwise released in good health after a breakthrough in negotiations with his captors.
After his release, Father Bossi confirmed that the 11 men who captured him identified themselves as members of the Abu Sayyaf group, a small Islamist group linked to al Qaeda.
After some time spent recovering in Italy, Bossi returned to the Philippines, where he refused a permanent police escort.
Last month he returned to the island of his former parish to inaugurate the new parish of Bayog, which he had helped to build.
Some 2,000 Philippine troops were involved in the bid to free Father Bossi.
Muslim extremists in the southern Philippines have kidnapped foreigners and clergymen in the past, holding them for ransom and sometimes killing them.
