A group of lawless elements Tuesday kidnapped an Italian volunteer worker in the southern Philippines, the military said.  

Quoting sketchy reports from the field, Marine spokesman Capt. Rommel Abrau said that Andrea Cienosterone, program director of Movi Mondo, an Italian non-government organization, was kidnapped at around 2:30 PM (0630 GMT) at the outskirts of Kauswagan town in Lanao del Norte, a stronghold of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Abrau said that they received information that the kidnappers were led by an unidentified kin of MILF Commander Bravo.

"We cannot confirm yet if he is indeed a brother or cousin of Commander Bravo," he said.

Military information chief Lt. Col. Buenaventura Pascual confirmed the kidnapping which he said was perpetrated by an "unknown armed group."

He said that the victim's vehicle recovered at vicinity of Tamparan village, Munai town, also in Lanao del Norte by pursuing militiamen.

Pascual, however, said the kidnappers were led by a nephew of Commander Bravo. "A nephew of Commander Bravo is the suspect. He (victim) was abducted while en route to Delabayan village."

Abrau said that Marine elements in the area have been alert to conduct pursuit operations against the suspects. "We have already mobilized our troops to pursue the kidnappers."

Abrau also said they already made proper communication with the leadership of the MILF to prevent unwanted clashes with the MILF fighters. "We already coordinated with the MILF to avoid mis-encounters."

Cienosterone is the second Italian to be kidnapped in the south Philippines in the last three years.

The first was Italian priest Gieusseppe Piarantoni who was kidnapped in October 2001 while officiating a mass in Dimataling, Zamboanga del Sur.

Pierantoni's captors from the Pentagon kidnap-for-ransom group released the victim in April 2002 in Zamboanga City. There were reports that some sectors paid undetermined amount of ransom to secure his release.

The 12,000-strong MILF has been fighting to set up a separate Islamic state in the southern island of Mindanao.

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2004)