Fr. Bossi 39 days in the hands of kidnappers
Zamboanga (AsiaNews) – Fr. Giancarlo Bossi, missionary of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions, kidnapped in Mindanao June 10th last, was freed last night. Fr. Gianni Sandalo, PIME regional superior, confirmed the release to AsiaNews.
Fr. Bossi appears to be in good health, even if seriously tried by the 39 days of captivity; the missionary has undergone health checks in the capital Manila.
Fr. Bossi was kidnapped from his parish in Payao by a command of ten armed men. The group freed two young men accompanying the missionary (who had just celebrated mass) so they could warn the authorities of the kidnap. Following this one of the two was placed under police surveillance because it was believed that he could have had links to the abductors. According to eye witnessed Fr. Bossi was beaten during the abduction.
In the long days that followed, the principal concern was to identify his kidnappers: suspicions fell on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (Milf), who since 1978 have been carrying out a bloody civil war for independence from Manila. MILF, however consistently denied all involvement and even offered to collaborate in release efforts. There was even talk of cooperation between MILF and the army.
Fears increased that the kidnap had been carried out by Abu Sayyaf terrorists, a group linked to Al Qaeda.
In the interim, appeals from Christians, soon joined by Muslims united in prayer, begin to spread. In the subsequent days and weeks, PIME missionaries in the Philippines open up a blog, a virtual diary, to gather together the messages and prayers sent from around the world and voice their concern over the progress of the investigations. On many occasions the plight of Fr. Bossi is also addressed by Benedict XVI.
Light began to be shed on the case in recent days, when the involvement of terrorist groups was excluded and investigators began to concentrate on common delinquents and criminal gangs.
July 6th release photos of Fr. Bossi. It is the first evidence that the missionary is still alive. In the general relief, on July 10th PIME launches a world day of prayer.
AsiaNews joins the relief expressed by PIME missionaries the Bossi family…
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