Philippine Muslim rebels deny holding priest

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Agence France-Presse - 10/15/2009 6:01 AM GMT





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The Philippines' biggest Muslim rebel group denied Thursday that one of its commanders was holding a kidnapped Irish priest, while insisting it wanted to help rescue him.
The military said a notorious pirate had kidnapped Father Michael Sinnott, 79, from his home in the southern Philippines on Sunday and may have passed him on to a local commander for the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
It also said Wednesday that Sinnott was being held in a remote area that is known to be an MILF stronghold.
"We do not deny the fact that there is a presence of the MILF in the area and an MILF community there but it is not true that the MILF is holding the priest," the group's spokesman, Eid Kabalu, said in response on Thursday.
Kabalu also said the MILF was sending an emissary to Sultan Naga Dimaporo town, where the military said Sinnott was being held, to check if the priest was really there and try to secure his release.
"We are ready to intervene and operate for the possible recovery of the priest. We have already mobilised our men on the ground to do whatever action is necessary," he said.
Six armed gunmen kidnapped Sinnott on Sunday night from his home at the Missionary Society of Saint Columban compound in Pagadian City on southern Mindanao island. Related article: Priests stand firm in Philippines
There are fears Sinnott may be used to extract a ransom, either by the pirate or whomever he passes the priest on to.
Aside from the MILF, the Muslim militant Abu Sayyaff group and armed gangs such as the one run by the pirate, Guingona Samal, operate in the area.
The government and the MILF have had a ceasefire in place since 2005 and the two sides are due to resume peace talks soon.
The MILF, which has been fighting for an independent Muslim homeland in the south of this Roman Catholic country since 1978, has said it had no interest in abducting Sinnott because that would jeopardise peace talks.
There is concern over Sinnott's health as he had quadruple heart bypass surgery in 2005 and needs constant medication.
Sinnott has spent about 40 years in the Philippines, first arriving in Mindanao in 1957 as a missionary. After a stint elsewhere, he came back to the Philippines in 1976 and never left.




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Irish priest’s abductors call Columban Society
By Julie Alipala
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 16:43:00 10/15/2009

Filed Under: Kidnapping (http://services.inquirer.net/tagcloud/keyword.php?tag=Kidnapping&id=988&imp=), Crime (http://services.inquirer.net/tagcloud/keyword.php?tag=%20Crime&id=28&imp=)
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—(UPDATE) The kidnappers of Irish priest Father Michael Sinnott had made their first call to the Columban fathers in Pagadian City on Thursday, through an emissary, Major General Ben Dolorfino, Western Mindanao Command chief, said.
Dolorfino said the call was monitored by Task Force Sinnott—an inter-agency body tasked to secure the priest's release—but he did not say how they were able to do so.
He also declined to elaborate on the details of the call, saying he was not authorized to do so.
"I cannot disclose it but the call indicated that Sinnott is in Lanao del Norte, very close to Sultan Naga Dimaporo. The call was traced to that province and the trace was made by Task Force Sinnott," he said.
Dolorfino said the kidnapped Irish priest did not talk with his colleagues during the call.
He said the contact might have been established when the kidnappers got hold of one of the flyers distributed by authorities, which contained numbers to be contacted for any information that could help in efforts to deliver medicine to Sinnott.
Sinnott suffers from a heart ailment and needs his daily dose of medicine.
Dolorfino said the military validated the call through "inside sources" belonging to the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's 4th Infantry Brigade led by Commander Jamat Latip.
The military, he said, trusted the sources.
He said aside from validating the call, his sources had told him that Sinnott has become very weak.
"His health condition is poor and that is the reason why the kidnappers are having a hard time transferring the captive to another place," Dolorfino said.
He said aside from Sinnott's condition, the kidnappers also could not move "because of the heavy presence of ground troops on the highways and different routes, including the shorelines."
Dolorfino said based on information given to him, the kidnappers wanted to bring the priest to Cotabato City but "their ultimate plan of destination is Basilan."
Chief Superintendent Angelo Sunglao, Western Mindanao police chief, said Latip had denied involvement in Sinnot's kidnapping and that the MILF leader was so incensed he vowed to kill the kidnappers.
He said the denial was made by the rebel leader to Lieutenant Colonel Jerry Barrientos, deputy brigade commander of the Army's 104th Infantry Brigade, during a phone call.
"Latip is angry for being blamed for the abduction. He denied the presence of the victim in his camp and he would even want to kill the ones responsible for the kidnapping," Sunglao said.
He said Latip was also worried about the presence of military troops near his camp "but felt relieved upon learning that we are observing the operational guidelines on the cessation of hostilities."
"He is willing to submit himself and his command for inspection and expressed willingness to cooperate with the authorities for the safe recovery or rescue of Father Sinnott," Sunglao said.
Dolorfino said authorities were hoping that Latip was telling the truth.
"If he wants to come out clean then he should cooperate with us," Dolorfino said when told of Latip's denial.
He said the military was standing pat on its claim that Sinnott was being held inside MILF's Camp Wilcom on the boundaries of Picong, Nunungan and Sultan Naga Dimaporo towns.
"If he is really sincere, he has to help us and secure Sinnott and turn him over to the authorities," Dolorfino said.
Meanwhile, Task Force Sinnott came out with artist sketches of three of the six suspects in Sinnot's abduction.
Dolorfino said of the six suspects, four had been positively identified.
"But we cannot divulge their names. The only thing I can share now is that two of them are MILF rebels based in Lanao del Sur," he said.
As this developed, Zamboanga del Sur officials said they were becoming increasingly worried about Sinnott's condition.
"Everyone here is really worried, concerned and very anxious over the safety of Father Sinnott," Allan Molde, provincial information officer, said.
The Columban fathers, according to Molde, are also extremely apprehensive of Sinnott's frail condition.
"Since the day he was abducted, until now, he failed to take his daily medicines," he said.
On Thursday, Zamboanga del Sur Governor Aurora Cerilles went on air and appealed to the kidnappers to allow emissaries to bring in Sinnott's medicine.
"I am appealing to the kidnappers to allow us to send him medicines because he needs it badly. Father Sinnott is a man of peace and he has been serving the people. With his age, at 79, he lacks physical strength to confront his difficult condition now," Cerilles said.
Pagadian Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar also appealed to the kidnappers to free the Irish priest and allow him to return to his work, which has been helping children with disabilities.
"Here in Pagadian, he helped children a lot, especially those who need special attention. Please allow him to continue doing that," Cabajar said.
With reports from Ed General, Inquirer Mindanao

source (http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/topstories/topstories/view/20091015-230220/Irish-priests-abductors-call-Columban-Society)

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Let's pray for Fr. Sinnot...