An Italian volunteer worker kidnapped by an unidentified group in the southern Philippines has been released, the Philippine military said Wednesday.  

Andrea Cianferoni, earlier identified as Andrea Cienosterone, program director of an Italian non-governmental organization, who was kidnapped Tuesday in the southern Philippine province of Lanaodel Norte, has been "recovered" by the military, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Lieut. Gen. Efren Abu told reporters.

Abu, however, could not say if Andrea Cianferoni was rescued by the military or a ransom was paid.

However, the local ABS-CBN news channel reported that the release is mainly because of negotiation efforts, not by military operations.

The military has confirmed that the kidnapping incident was not made by the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has been fighting to set up a separate Islamic state in the southern island of Mindanao since 1978.

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2004)