MANILA (AsiaNews): A former priest, Rolando del Tochio, who was kidnapped on October 6 last year from Ur Choice Café in Dipolog in the southern Philippines, was released on April 8.

Father Giovanni Re, from the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, said, “We are very happy for the release of Rolando del Torchio.”

Del Torchio was taken to a military hospital in Zamboanga and then flown to Manila on a plane chartered by the Italian embassy. It is unclear whether a ransom was paid or not, or who was involved in the kidnap.

Father Re is not giving any information away. Del Tochio has long been involved with local farmers in their fight for land rights, so could have any number of powerful enemies.