Dec. 6: Swiss hostage Lorenzo Vinciguerra, is treated in a hospital following his daring escape from the hands of the Muslim Abu Sayyaf extremists, in Jolo in southern Philippines.(AP)

MANILA, Philippines A Swiss hostage made a dramatic escape Saturday from Abu Sayyaf extremists when he hacked a rebel commander and then got shot as he dashed to freedom amid a military bombardment, ending more than two years of jungle captivity in the southern Philippines, officials said.

Lorenzo Vinciguerra, 49, made his daring escape while government forces were firing artillery rounds near the jungle forest where he was being held in mountainous Patikul town in Sulu province. He grabbed a long knife, hacked an Abu Sayyaf commander and then ran away, but was shot and wounded by another militant, security officials said.

Philippine army scout rangers later found him and escorted him to safety.

"He was wounded, but he's well and recovering in a hospital," regional military commander Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero said by phone.

In Bern, the Swiss government expressed relief that Vinciguerra had regained his freedom, but regretted that his Dutch companion remained in captivity.

While lying later in a military combat hospital bed, his head wrapped in a bandage, Vinciguerra basked in his hard-won freedom and thanked the military. He said he was happy because he can finally spend Christmas with his family, but worried about his companion, Ewold Horn, who was still in Abu Sayyaf custody in Sulu's jungles.

"I talked to him and asked him to join me, but he refused," Vinciguerra said of Horn, adding that the Dutchman had teeth problems and other ailments.

Vinciguerra said he felt the extremists would treat Horn well and urged the militants to surrender and start a new life.

"My final message to everybody: Put the gun down and come out from the forest," he told a reporter. "It's a nice life out here."

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FIGHT FOR FREEDOM Swiss hostage hacks extremist in flee to safety