AFP VERIFYING REPORTS ON KIDNAPPED PRIEST, FR. SINNOTT'S DEATH
MANILA, OCTOBER 23, 2009 (STAR) By James Mananghaya and Roel Pareño - Military intelligence operatives were deployed to verify reports that kidnapped Irish priest Michael Sinnott is already dead.This developed as the Zamboanga del Sur provincial crisis management team negotiating for the safe release of Sinnott denied yesterday reports that the Irish priest had died in the custody of his captors.
“While we have been verifying his condition, there is no such information that was gathered both by the provincial crisis management committee and the military intelligence,” said Ala Molde, the designated spokesman of the provincial crisis committee and Task Force Zebra, the joint body searching for the priest.
Molde though confirmed there had been reports alleging that the 79-year-old priest failed to survive the ordeal in the jungle.
Molde noted the precarious medical condition of Sinnott, who had been recuperating from open-heart surgery when unidentified men snatched him from his home at the Missionary Society of Saint Columban compound in Pagadian City on Oct. 11.
According to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, intelligence operatives are trying to check a range of information from the ground units on the real condition of Sinnott.
“Our fighting units are on standby, awaiting instructions from the local crisis management committee, but our intelligence units are already out to verify his real condition,” Brawner said.
Molde, for his part, said it was “irresponsible” to circulate reports that the priest was already dead and there was nothing more to negotiate.
“We are verifying information we gathered. We don’t want to take chances, specially since the health condition of Fr. Sinnott is a little bit delicate because he recently underwent heart bypass operation,” Molde said.
HEADLINE FROM MALAYA ONLINE:
Irish priest reported dead;AFP stresses info is unverified BY RAYMOND AFRICA
(MALAYA) THE Armed Forces of the Philippines yesterday said it has received reports that kidnapped Irish missionary Fr. Michael Sinnott died Monday from heart failure.
Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., chief of the AFP public affairs office, stressed these are yet unverified information.
"Rumors pa lang yan. Wala pa tayong nakukuhang ganyang impormasyon, kaya pinapa-verify pa natin yan…We are still trying to get information on the ground," he said.
The 79-year-old Sinnott, who underwent quadruple heart bypass in 2007, was kidnapped October 11 from the Halfway House of the Missionary Society of St. Columban along Liberty drive in Gatas District, Pagadian City.
Witnesses said Sinnott was first brought to Barangay Buayan in Sultan Naga Dimaporo, then transferred to Sitio Iraki Sapad Sultan Naga Dimaporo, in Lanao del Norte.
He is believed being kept at the boundary of Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur, a bailiwick of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
The MILF has belied reports it was involved in the abduction and has deployed troops to help in rescue operations.
The military has said a pirate group kidnapped Sinnott then turned him over to another group of bandits.
Brawner said the military could not launch rescue operations because it has not been authorized by the crisis management committee headed by Zamboanga del Sur Gov. Aurora Cerilles.
Brawner said the MILF move to track down Sinnott is most welcome, but reiterated the military’s warning this might result in misencounters.
"So ang tulong na lang na hinihingi natin sa MILF perhaps is to broker the release of Fr. Sinnott, turn over to the authorities, to the military or police or the crisis management committee," he said.
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
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