MILF insists no hand in Sinnott case, hits DILG
11/04/2009 | 10:32 AM
The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on Wednesday cried foul over Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno's claim that the group is linked to last month's abduction of Irish priest Michael Sinnott in Pagadian City.
But while MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said Puno’s allegations were "unfortunate," he still said the MILF would continue working on its own for the 79-year-old Columban missionary’s release.
"That’s a very unfortunate statement coming from Sec. Puno. Mismong pinagbibintangan ang inatasan ng MILF na magtrabaho sa ground para (mapalaya) si Fr. Sinnott (It’s a very unfortunate statement coming from Puno. He is accusing the very unit tasked to help secure Sinnott’s release)," Iqbal told dzXL radio.
Iqbal said the MILF’s 113th Base Command, which Puno linked to Sinnott’s kidnapping, is the unit ordered to help secure the missionary’s safe release.
But when asked if the MILF will protest Puno’s claim before the government peace panel, he said it would just “remind" its counterpart about the incident.
"The most the MILF will do is remind our counterpart in the negotiating table one of the Cabinet members in the Arroyo administration is not helping in the peace process. I think that’s enough," he said.
For its part, the crisis management committee handling the abduction said it is still waiting for direct contact from the kidnappers who seized Sinnott on the night of October 11 in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the incident.
Committee spokesperson Allan June Molde likewise admitted there was much "preponderance of reports" from military and police operatives indicating MILF involvement. In a separate interview on dzXL, he said intelligence reports point to the chances of Sinnott being held in Lanao, where the MILF is considered active.
"Kami sa Mindanao, mahirap mag-speculate but we believe from the information gathered kay secretary (Puno that) they have their own information validated on their part (We cannot speculate but from the information gathered by Puno, we assume they have their own information)," he said.
Molde, however, stressed the crisis committee is "not pointing fingers" at anyone.
Earlier, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said an MILF rogue unit was behind the kidnapping.
Promptly, however, MILF spokesperson Eid Kabalu denied Teodoro’s accusations, which he branded as “baseless."
$2 million ransom
Last weekend, Sinnott appeared in a video aired on local television, holding an October 22 newspaper and saying his abductors want $2 million for his release. But the government quickly said it would maintain its no-ransom policy.
On Tuesday, Puno told a press conference that the MILF’s 113th Base Command was responsible for the abduction. 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," Puno said.
But Iqbal voiced regret that instead of commending the MILF for having its forces on the ground to help secure Sinnott’s release, Puno chose to link it to the abduction.
"Dapat sinabi ni Puno he would commend the MILF, particularly the 113th Base Command dahil sila mismo tumutulong sa ground. Ngayon pinagbibintangan ang taong tumutulong para malibre si Fr. Sinnott (It is an unfortunate statement. Puno should have commended our forces on the ground for helping, but instead he accused it of involvement)," he said.
Also, he criticized the government for rejecting the MILF’s proposal to deploy a company of forces to secure Sinnott’s release, saying the kidnappers understand only the languages of "money and force." - with Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV
But while MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said Puno’s allegations were "unfortunate," he still said the MILF would continue working on its own for the 79-year-old Columban missionary’s release.
"That’s a very unfortunate statement coming from Sec. Puno. Mismong pinagbibintangan ang inatasan ng MILF na magtrabaho sa ground para (mapalaya) si Fr. Sinnott (It’s a very unfortunate statement coming from Puno. He is accusing the very unit tasked to help secure Sinnott’s release)," Iqbal told dzXL radio.
Iqbal said the MILF’s 113th Base Command, which Puno linked to Sinnott’s kidnapping, is the unit ordered to help secure the missionary’s safe release.
But when asked if the MILF will protest Puno’s claim before the government peace panel, he said it would just “remind" its counterpart about the incident.
"The most the MILF will do is remind our counterpart in the negotiating table one of the Cabinet members in the Arroyo administration is not helping in the peace process. I think that’s enough," he said.
For its part, the crisis management committee handling the abduction said it is still waiting for direct contact from the kidnappers who seized Sinnott on the night of October 11 in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur. No group has so far claimed responsibility for the incident.
Committee spokesperson Allan June Molde likewise admitted there was much "preponderance of reports" from military and police operatives indicating MILF involvement. In a separate interview on dzXL, he said intelligence reports point to the chances of Sinnott being held in Lanao, where the MILF is considered active.
"Kami sa Mindanao, mahirap mag-speculate but we believe from the information gathered kay secretary (Puno that) they have their own information validated on their part (We cannot speculate but from the information gathered by Puno, we assume they have their own information)," he said.
Molde, however, stressed the crisis committee is "not pointing fingers" at anyone.
Earlier, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said an MILF rogue unit was behind the kidnapping.
Promptly, however, MILF spokesperson Eid Kabalu denied Teodoro’s accusations, which he branded as “baseless."
$2 million ransom
Last weekend, Sinnott appeared in a video aired on local television, holding an October 22 newspaper and saying his abductors want $2 million for his release. But the government quickly said it would maintain its no-ransom policy.
On Tuesday, Puno told a press conference that the MILF’s 113th Base Command was responsible for the abduction. 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," Puno said.
But Iqbal voiced regret that instead of commending the MILF for having its forces on the ground to help secure Sinnott’s release, Puno chose to link it to the abduction.
"Dapat sinabi ni Puno he would commend the MILF, particularly the 113th Base Command dahil sila mismo tumutulong sa ground. Ngayon pinagbibintangan ang taong tumutulong para malibre si Fr. Sinnott (It is an unfortunate statement. Puno should have commended our forces on the ground for helping, but instead he accused it of involvement)," he said.
Also, he criticized the government for rejecting the MILF’s proposal to deploy a company of forces to secure Sinnott’s release, saying the kidnappers understand only the languages of "money and force." - with Sophia Dedace, GMANews.TV
