PNP, AFP search for kidnapped Irish priest

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines  – Unidentified armed men barged into the Columban House in Gatas District in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur and abducted an Irish priest Sunday night, according to police officials.

The victim was identified as Michael Sinnott, 78, an Irish national and a Columban missionary who has been assigned in Pagadian since the 1980s.

Chief Superintendent Angelo Sunglao, director of the Police Regional Office (PRO) in Western Mindanao, said six armed men barged into the Columban house at about 7:20 p.m. and took Fr. Sinnott.

“The gunmen dragged the priest into a waiting mini van and fled,” Sunglao said.

Alerted police tracked down the getaway vehicle, with plate number GBL 687, that fled towards Sta. Lucia village and was abandoned after having been set on fire.

Witnesses said that the suspects took the priest to a boat and fled towards the high seas. Fishermen saw the boat heading towards Tukuran town.

Police Director Felizardo Serapio, chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operation (DIPO) Western Mindanao, said police units and a naval blockade would try to intercept the kidnappers.

Serapio said the military and the police in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) were alerted also to monitor the possible arrival of the kidnappers and their captive priest.

Authorities still could not say what particular group is behind the abduction, but Zamboanga del Sur Gov. Aurora Cerilles has already convened the provincial Crisis Management Committee with representatives from different agencies and non-governmental organizations to rescue the prelate.

The Department of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of the government, has also expressed grave concern over the kidnapping and has been closely monitoring developments with the Irish government through the Irish embassy in Singapore.

CBCP appeals to kidnappers

Sources from the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) confirmed Sinnott’s abduction on Sunday.

The victim’s superior in the Philippines, Fr. Patrick O’Donoghue, was shocked by the incident and confirmed that Sinnott is afflicted with a cardiovascular condition that needs daily medication.

In an interview over Church-run Radio Veritas, Pagadian Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar appealed to those behind the abduction to set the Columban missionary free not only because he is a religious man but out of consideration for his poor health.

“We appeal to his abductor to treat him with respect and release him soonest. Father Mick is not in the (best) of health and badly needs his daily dosage of medicine. When he was taken he only had with him medicine good for one day,” Cabajar said. “We are urging the abductors for arrangement to be made to insure that Fr. Mick gets his medicine.”

Bishop Cabajar also asked the public to pray for the immediate release of the Irish priest.

Sinnott, who turns 79 on Dec. 19, has a serious heart problem for which he underwent bypass surgery at a hospital in Cebu City in 2007.

O’Donoghue is set to arrive tonight in Pagadian City to work for the release of the priest and will also talk to Cabajar, local authorities and other religious leaders.

CBCP-National Secretariat for Social Action Justice and Peace (Nassa) Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo joined Bishop Cabajar’s call for the release of Sinnott.

“We appeal as CBCP-Nassa to set Fr. Michael Sinnot free unharmed as soon as possible. Let us respect the people who do God’s work,” Bishop Pabillo said.

Cabajar said they have not been contacted or received any demands from the abductors, but Zamboanga City Archbishop Romulo Valles believed that the motive of the abduction was likely to collect ransom.

“Obviously the priest is not an enemy of the one who is doing it. We take away those elements of motivation that perhaps these people are angry with the priest. So what are the motivations? We can speak again of ransom,” Valles said.

Muslims up in arms

Sinnott is the former coordinator of Hangop Kabataan (Caring for Special Children), an outfit in Pagadian City that provides special attention to children with mental and physical disability. He is the third Irish priest snatched in Mindanao in the past 12 years.

Kidnappers snatched the acting prelate of Marawi City, Desmond Hartford, on Oct. 27, 1997 and released him about two weeks later through the intercession of local Muslim and Christian religious leaders.

The kidnapping of Hartford was followed by the Aug. 28, 2001 murder by five ethnic Maranaws of Columban missionary Rufus Halley along a stretch of the Narciso Ramos Highway at the border of Lanao del Sur’s adjoining Malabang and Balabagan towns.

Ustadz Faried Solaiman Adas, chief of the ARMM’s Madaris Education Bureau, said that Gov. Datu Zaldy Ampatuan has tasked all of the bureau’s more than 600 Islamic missionaries to help gather information on the identities of Sinnott’s abductors and their whereabouts.

“Islam abhors kidnappings. For genuine Muslims that fear Allah, kidnapping is a diabolic act. We condemn this latest abduction of a Catholic priest in Pagadian City,” Adas said.

Adas said members of their bureau, which has Muslim preachers handling peace education classes in remote towns in the autonomous region, are sad about the abduction Sinnott.

“Islam has strong teachings on respect for religious leaders, regardless of whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims,” Adas said.

Sunglao said the areas being monitored include Zamboanga de Sur and the nearby Lanao province where kidnap gangs and the Abu Sayyaf group are known to be operating. – John Unson, Edith Regalado, James Mananghaya, Evelyn Macairan, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Pia Lee-Brago, AP