Abducted priest alive, but critical

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Kidnapped Irish priest Michael Sinnott is in critical condition due to malnutrition and lack of medicine, sources revealed yesterday.

Although police and military intelligence sources confirmed that Sinnott is still alive, local officials and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said the Irish priest is suffering from malnutrition and dysentery.

Sources from the MILF who were tasked to locate the priest and his kidnappers said Sinnott’s health is deteriorating due to lack of medicine needed for his heart condition.

Officials 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.

Sources also revealed Sinnott and his captors were constantly moving around the jungle area on the boundaries of the two Lanao provinces in evading police and government troops.

Local officials in the two provinces who had tapped the services of public school teachers and barangay officials said they have feedback from informants that Sinnott has been weakened by diarrhea.

“His captors, according to information reaching us, do not have rehydration salts to fight the dehydration causing the weakness of Fr. Sinnott,” said one of the local officials.

Superintendent Danilo Bacas, operations director of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) police, said local officials in Lanao del Sur helping locate Sinnott’s whereabouts have been providing updates on the condition of the kidnapped priest.

ARMM director Chief Superintendent Paisal Umpa said the priest is still alive, denying earlier reports that Sinnot had died.

Bacas, on the other hand, said such reports could even come from the kidnappers.

“Because it is one good way of really forcing the captive’s family to link up with them and, in the process, demand the ransom directly,” Bacas said.

MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu also said their initial reports indicated Sinnott is getting weaker.

The government earlier asked the MILF under the ceasefire agreement to help locate the priest and his kidnappers in their area.

Kabalu said the MILF’s effort to rescue Sinnot is closely coordinated with the police and military through the joint ceasefire committee.

Western Mindanao Command Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, on the other hand, reminded the MILF to coordinate their operations to rescue Sinnott through the provincial crisis management committee led by Zamboanga del Sur Gov. Aurora Cerilles.

Dolorfino noted the MILF formed Task Force Sinnott with a company size of its forces to rescue the priest.

“(While) there is legal basis for that action (MILF to help rescue), there are existing mechanisms and implementing guidelines as far as MILF involvement is concerned,” he said.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner added it would be risky to mount a rescue operation at this time.

“We cannot avoid firefights which could take a toll on Fr. Sinnott. We are worried because he might have a heart attack when a firefight erupts so we have to exhaust all peaceful means to get him back safely,” he said.

Brawner said the military is allowing the provincial crisis management committee to negotiate the safe release of Sinnott.

Brawner noted the deteriorating medical condition of Sinnott that could force the military to launch a rescue operation sooner if negotiations fail.

“It (kidnapping of Sinnott) could drag on as long as we know the victim is safe. That is our primary consideration,” he said.

Brawner said troops are ready to launch a rescue operation once the crisis management committee gives the go signal. --With Roel Pareño, James Mananghaya