MILF leader in Sinnott kidnap case identified

The government has identified the leader of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) faction that abducted Irish priest Michael Sinnott. In a press briefing on Tuesday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said Aloy Al Asree, leader of the MILF’s 113th Base Command, was involved in last year’s deadly attacks in several civilian communities in Central Mindanao. “So in the process of case build-up the identities of the kidnappers have started to surface and a great majority of them are actually identified as being members of the MILF’s 113th Base Command," he said.

Puno said law enforcers have already been directed to file cases against Sinnott’s kidnappers. The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) have started to prepare the evidence that would be used in prosecuting the kidnappers, according to Puno. Sinnott, 79, was abducted last October 11 in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur. In a video obtained by the military and aired over GMA News over the weekend, the priest said his abductors are asking for a $2-million ransom in exchange for his freedom. The MILF, the largest secessionist organization in the country, has denied involvement in the abduction and even offered its fighters to help the military in rescuing Sinnott. Puno said the government could not accept the MILF’s offer. “Our view here is they can either control their people or they cannot. If they have influence over these people then we don’t understand why they need a company-size group to go in there," he said. Negotiators working for Sinnott’s release, meanwhile, asked the MILF to show “sincerity" in helping solve the hostage crisis. Allan June Molde, spokesman for the crisis management committee (CMC) handling Sinnott’s case, cited the “preponderance of reports" that the priest was being held in an area where the MILF has active presence. “They (MILF members) have volunteered to help us. Sana naman (we wish) there should be sincerity, because of the preponderance of reports that the group holding the priest is in the Lanao area," Molde said in an interview on dzXL radio. Molde said the CMC is forced to take a wait-and-see stance until Sinnott’s abductors make direct contact with it. - GMANews.TV