Filipino Muslim rebels defends field commander tagged for abduction of Irish priest

Filipino Muslim rebels defended their field commander tagged by a Manila official responsible for the kidnapping of Irish priest Father Michael Sinnott.

Mohagher Iqbal, chief negotiator of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), admitted Wednesday they were offended by Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno's naming of Aloy Al Ashree, commander of the MILF's 113th Brigade, is actually the one exerting efforts to have the kidnapped Irish priest released.

It was very unfair, he said, adding that government officials should have validated their data first before making it public as it would only complicate matters.

Iqbal said the MILF was now having second thoughts on whether or not to continue its efforts to get the 79-year old ailing Irish priest back.

"We are now reaching to our counterparts in the government to stop all this accusations. If Puno will not stop, then we will stop helping secure the priest," Iqbal told Xinhua.

"We are concerned with the health condition of Sinnott considering he underwent four heart bypasses. If something happen to him, it should be Puno blamed," he added.

Sinnott was snatched by at least six suspects from his house in Pagadian city in southern Mindanao region on Oct. 11. Authorities initially blamed a group of pirates, led by one Guingona Samal, behind the abduction.

Sinnott's captors are demanding a ransom of 2 million U.S. dollars in exchange for his freedom but the Philippine government and his colleagues rejected the demand.

Citing the accusation affects their peace talks with government, Iqbal reiterated their earlier stand of having no hand in the abduction.

"We have been talking for foreign diplomats, including those from Ireland and London, on the issue of Mindanao conflict. If we are behind the abduction, we are just destroying our image with them," Iqbal said.

MILF vice chair for political affairs Ghazali Jaafar said in a phone interview that Puno is only using Sinnott's case to advance his political career as he is seeking for an office in next year's election.

"His statement was unbecoming. Before blaming the MILF in general in public, there should be investigation made," Jaafar said.

"There were also police and military involved before in criminalities but it does not mean Malacanang has no control anymore of the entire police and military," he added.

Jaafar said they have names of the leaders of kidnappers holding Sinnott but he refused to divulge.

"We are partners in peace and it's not healthy for us to trade accusations," the rebel leader said.

Sinnott was the second Western missionary being kidnapped in southern Philippines in the past five years. Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi spent a month in jungle captivity before being released by Abu Sayyaf militants in 2007.

Source: Xinhua