Government troops closing in on Sinnott's kidnappers

MANILA, Philippines - Government troops have started to close in on the kidnappers of Fr. Michael Sinnott following reports that they were spotted in the jungles spanning the two Lanao provinces in Central Mindanao.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner said the Navy has also imposed a naval blockade in the coastal areas to prevent the kidnappers from slipping away by sea.

Brawner said the military has already identified four of the six suspects who snatched Sinnott from his home at the Missionary Society of Saint Columban compound in Pagadian City last Sunday.

He said the suspects were members of a criminal syndicate that had been involved in kidnapping in the region.

Police authorities, on the other hand, released the sketches of the suspects but did not identify any of them.

Brawner also refused to identify the suspects, citing operational security reasons.

Western Mindanao Command chief Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino earlier revealed a notorious pirate leader identified as Guingona Samal, alias Commander Inggo, led a group in kidnapping Sinnott last Sunday.

Dolorfino added intelligence reports revealed Samal may have passed Sinnott on to a local commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, a certain Latip Jamad, a commander of the MILF’s 113rd Base Command.

Brawner said the provincial crisis management committee led by Zamboanga del Sur Gov. Aurora Cerilles has already established contact with the kidnappers, who reportedly demanded the return of the firearms seized from them by the government during a recent encounter.

“We will exhaust all peaceful means to secure the release of Fr. Sinnott through the crisis management committee and the final option is the military,” Brawner said.

Brawner said the latest information they received was that Sinnott was seen “bleeding” but alive by civilian informants.

“We are not sure about his exact physical condition but we are certain he is alive,” he said.   – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Jaime Laude