Italian man kidnapped in Dipolog City freed

ZAMBOANGA CITY—Italian pizza restaurant owner Rolando del Torchio had been freed by his captors, the police confirmed on Friday.

A police report from the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao said Del Torchio was found by combined police, military and coast guard forces at about 7:30 p.m. at Jolo port aboard MV KC Beatrice bound for Zamboanga.

Del Torchio was brought to Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Hospital for medical checks.

A reliable source told the Inquirer that Del Torchio, who was kidnapped in Dipolog City on Oct. 7, 2015, was released on Friday after his family paid P29 million in ransom.

The deadline set by Abu Sayyaf for the ransom of the Canadians, Norwegian and Filipina that they abducted last October was also on Friday, April 8. The bandits demand P1 billion per head. RC