Columbans say no malice in letter seeking US help to free Sinnott

Colleagues of Roman Catholic priest Michael Sinnott clarified Tuesday that they were not dissatisfied with the actions undertaken by the Philippine government to secure the release of the abducted clergyman. A letter by Rev. Patrick O'Donoghue, director of the Columban missionary in the country, explained that the US-based Columbans wrote US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to merely request that “all peaceful measures be taken to locate Fr. Sinnott and negotiate his release." “It would be most unfair to the Philippine government and to the Columbans in the US if it were to be construed as anything else, especially a lack of interest or effort on the part of the government or government agencies here," O'Donoghue said. O’Donoghue issued the clarification letter after the request of their US-counterpart was misconstrued as asking the US to send troops in the country to join in the combat operations. Communist guerrillas earlier warned the US and Philippine governments against using the kidnapping as reason to allow American troops to engage in combat operations in the country. In their letter that reached the local media last Sunday, the US-based Columbans said they feared for Sinnott's safety. [See: Fr. Sinnott's colleagues want US gov't help] “We ask that all peaceful measures be taken to locate Fr. Sinnott and negotiate his release ... We ask that you respond in all due haste, as Fr. Sinnott has a heart condition and is, as far as we know, without his medication," read the letter to Mrs. Clinton. The US-based missionaries likewise furnished Philippine Ambassador to the US Willy Gaa a copy of the letter. O’Donoghue stressed that their colleagues wrote on their own initiative and that he was “aware of how, in a very short time, all possible resources of government were made available to ensure the good health of Fr. Mick and to obtain his safe release." “I want to express again my sincere gratitude to all those involved and, indeed, to all those others who are doing everything possible to help," he said Sinnott, 79, was taken by armed men from his residence in Pagadian city in Zamboanga del Sur last October 11. The Armed Forces of the Philippines said the criminal gang involved in the kidnapping has already been identified. The police, for its part, released at least eight pictures of the suspects in the abduction. The government has asked help from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in securing the freedom of Sinnott, who was believed to have been taken to a hideout within part of Mindanao that is being guarded by MILF forces. - Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV