MILF: Italian priest adapting to jungle life

DAVAO CITY – After over four months in captivity, kidnapped Italian Catholic priest Guiseppe Pierantoni has reportedly adapted well to the jungles of Western Mindanao.

Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) spokesman Eid Kabalu told The STAR yesterday that they have received reports that Pierantoni has adapted to his jungle captivity and to the pace of his abductors who are being pursued by the authorities.

"What we’ve gathered was that the priest has not suffered from any health problem. In fact, he has reportedly adapted well to the conditions in the jungle. He has gotten used to the forest and the way he has to keep up with his abductors," Kabalu said.

He stressed the MILF had nothing to do with Pierantoni’s abduction last Oct. 16 from the convent of his parish church in coastal Dimataling, Zamboanga del Sur.

"We have nothing to do with the abduction but we will try our best to help secure his immediate release," Kabalu said.

Kabalu made the pledge a day after authorities revealed that Pierantoni, 44, from Bologna, Italy, had written a letter, dated Jan. 11, assuring his superiors in the Order of the Sacred Heart that he was alive and asked for the payment of his ransom.

Aside from the letter, Pierantoni’s superiors also received a tape recorded message and recent photographs.

Several groups have offered to raise the ransom for Pierantoni but Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla has said the Church would abide with the government’s no-ransom policy.

The priest apparently wrote the letter to belie claims of a leader of the Pentagon gang that Pierantoni has died in the hands of his abductors.

Faisal Marohombsar, who carries a P3 million reward on his head, said last week that a band of rogue MILF rebels were the ones who kidnapped Pierantoni under the direction of a certain Macaumbao.

Aside from Pierantoni’s kidnapping, police believe Marohombsar and his Pentagon gang cohorts were also involved in the kidnapping of Canadian Pierre Belanguer and four Chinese nationals.

Police said the Pentagon gang was involved in the kidnapping in June last year in Matalam, North Cotabato of Chinese engineer Zhang Zhongquian, who was working on a government irrigation project.

The group reportedly received some P8 million from Zhang’s relatives but abducted the three other Chinese nationals and the Filipino guide who delivered the ransom.

The group is also believed to be responsible for the kidnapping of one Florentino Congson and his son Jojo in Cotabato City in 1992, who were only released after the payment of a P5-million ransom on Aug. 23 last year.