Abduction of Irish priest as individual acts

The Philippine Armed Forces said on Tuesday it was treating as individual acts the actuation of Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels who are holding captive Irish priest Michael Sinnott.

The priest was snatched in Pagadian City on Oct. 11.

The pronouncement of military public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner virtually cleared the MILF, as an organization, of any involvement in the kidnapping of the 79-year-old Columban priest who had undergone quadruple heart bypass.

"Even if they are MILF, since we have already named them, we are treating them as individual criminals...Although they are legitimate members of the MILF, and this was admitted by the MILF, we are treating them as individual criminals as far as the government is concerned," Brawner told a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo.

Last week, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said they were considering lodging a protest against the government if it does not withdraw the statement of Interior Secretary Ronaldo Pino thatthe MILF was behind the kidnapping.

The military had linked rogue members of the MILF's 113rd Base Command under Aloy Al Asree in the kidnapping. It said Sinnott was initially snatched by a group of pirates who subsequently turned him over to the MILF rebels in the Lanao provinces.

Brawner said he does not have the exact number of MILF rebels involved in the kidnapping. "I don’t have the exact number but the names released by the Philippine National Police are confirmed (to be involved)," he said.

Source: Xinhua