Captive Italian priest not in the hands of Abu Sayyaf — Cimatu

ZAMBOANGA CITY — The military’s Southern Command said captive Italian priest Fr. Guiseppe Pierantoni remains in the hands of the "Pentagon" kidnapping group and has not been turned over to the Abu Sayyaf in Basilan.

Lt. Gen. Roy Cimatu, Southcom chief, said Pierantoni, 44, is still being kept by the group of Faizal Maruhumsar and Nurham Amin Ramsi in Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur.

Cimatu belied reports that the Italian priest was seen in Tuburan town, northeast of Isabela City, the capital of Basilan, last week. Other reports claimed he was sighted on Langil Island between Basilan and Zamboanga.

Cimatu said the reports by the local media proved negative when the military verified them.

"That’s not true. The (Armed Forces) chief of staff (Gen. Diomedio Villanueva) called me to verify if Fr. Pierantoni is indeed in Basilan but it’s not true," he said.

He said the priest, who was abducted last Oct. 17, is still being held captive somewhere near the boundary of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao, where military search and rescue operations are now concentrated.

"I believe he is still being kept somewhere at the boundary of Kapatagan, Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao," he added.

Cimatu said soldiers looking for Pierantoni on Langil Island instead encountered an Abu Sayyaf group. Two rebels were killed and six others, among them two sub-leaders identified as Jojo Imampay and Mubin Ibba, were captured.

Zamboanga del Sur Bishop Zacarias Jimenez, however, said there have been positive indications that Pierantoni, assistant parish priest of Dimataling, Zamboanga del Sur, is now being held in Pualas, a hinterland town in Lanao del Sur.

Jimenez told Catholic radio station dxMS in Cotabato City that he has received feedback that Pierantoni received the medicines, food, mineral water and other provisions they had sent through an emissary to Pualas.

"A certain Commander Ramsi sent me a letter acknowledging receipt of the supplies and stating that he has handed them to Fr. Pierantoni," Jimenez said.

Jimenez said he has also been informed by other sources in Lanao del Sur that Pierantoni has not been feeling well since he and his captors reached the province.

"Sad to say though, we expected to receive a letter from Fr. Pierantoni, but we did not receive any. But we are optimistic he has received the supplies we sent him," Jimenez said. — With John Unson and Paolo Romero