MANILA, Philippines (AP) — An Italian priest held hostage for over a month in the southern Philippines said yesterday he lost 15 pounds on a meager diet during his ordeal but was not threatened by the Muslim militants who kidnapped him.The Rev. Giancarlo Bossi, 57, said he did not believe he would be freed until he was dumped on Thursday night along a road where police picked him up.

Bossi was kidnapped on June 10 on his way to celebrate mass in southern Zamboanga Sibugay province. Police said his release followed negotiations with rogue elements of a Muslim separatist group.

Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno said no ransom was paid.

“There were some demands for ransom,” he said. “We discussed this matter with the Italian ambassador and the agreement we all arrived at was there would be zero ransom given.”

“From that time on, it was touch and go,” Puno said. He spoke at a news conference with Bossi in Zamboanga city before the priest was to fly to Manila, the Philipppine capital.

Looking haggard and thin, Bossi said in earlier media interviews that he had braced himself for months of captivity because that was how long kidnappers held two Italian priests several years ago.

Bossi said his captors treated him “with respect”.

“I never had the sensation that they wanted to kill me, nor did I ever receive a death threat or violence of any kind,” Bossi told the MISNA missionary news agency. “The food wasn’t great: rice, salt and dried fish. As a result I lost some weight. But I also stopped smoking; I haven’t touched a cigarette since June 27.”

He said he wanted to meet with his parishioners before heading back to Italy to see his family.