Additional government forces deployed to locate Sinnott

More security forces have been deployed in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Lanao provinces in southern Philippines to locate abducted Irish priest Michael Sinnott, who the government believes is in the hands of the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

Police Senior Superintendent Francisco Cristobal, commander of Task Force Zebra, said police operatives have been deployed to patrol the coastal areas of Zamboanga Peninsula.

Additional forces from the Philippine National Police’s Region 9 office have also been positioned to augment Task Force Sinnott in the region, according to Cristobal.

In Zamboanga Sibugay, police operatives have been mobilized to man entry and exit points in the towns of Tungawan, Olutanga, and Payao.

“All the Sinnott task groups are already in full operation," Cristobal said.

In Lanao del Norte, a company from the 10th Regional Mobile Group was mobilized by Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome to augment troops from the Philippine Army’s 103rd and 104th Brigades.

In Malacañang, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita confirmed the deployment of additional police and military personnel but said the MILF, which has denied involvement in the kidnapping case, has been informed of this.

“The police and military are in the area and of course as much as possible they are coordinating with the elements of the MILF," said Ermita.

“They (MILF) are not preventing us from deploying our own forces to follow the leads of our intelligence reports as to the probable whereabouts of Michael Sinnott," he added.

He said the security forces have been ordered to conduct pursuit operations against the perpetrators.

The government and the MILF have been on ceasefire since July in preparation for the resumption of the peace negotiations.

The MILF had earlier deployed its own men to rescue Sinnott.

On Tuesday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said Sinnott is in the hands of the MILF’s 113th Base Command under one Aloy Al Asree.

MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal denied this, saying the 113th Base Command is the unit ordered by the organization’s leadership to assist in locating Sinnott.

“He (Asree) was tasked by the MILF to work on the ground to free Father Sinnott . They have destroyed the credibility of our commander on the ground," said Iqbal.

Sinnott, 79, was abducted last October 11 in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur. In a video obtained by the military and aired over GMA News over the weekend, the priest said his abductors are asking for a $2-million ransom in exchange for his freedom.

GMA

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