MILF rebels were not my abductors, Sinnott says

He believes it wasn’t the MILF. Contrary to the claim of the government, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front was not behind his kidnapping, Irish priest Micheal Sinnott said on Thursday, hours after he was freed by his captors in Zamboanga City's Sangali village.

“I don’t know who kidnapped me…(But) it was not the MILF. We were very sure of that," said the 79-year-old priest during a press conference at the Villamor Air Base in Pasay City, adding that he knew that the Muslim secessionist rebels "condemned kidnapping because it is against the Quoran." The government, however, is not convinced that the MILF doesn’t have a hand in Sinnott’s kidnapping. Maj. Gen. Benjamin Muhammad Dolorfino, chief of the Western Mindanao Command, said the village where the priest was released was a known turf of the Muslim rebels. “We have conducted a significant briefing and we will collate that with our own intelligence operations so that it will aid the investigation conducted by the PNP (Philippine National Police). Law enforcement will be conducted so we will be able to serve… justice," said Dolorfino during the press conference. Earlier, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno claimed that the MILF’s 113th Base Command was responsible for the abduction. Sinnott countered the claim, saying his captors could have been a local group based in Pagadian City who not only wanted to earn money through kidnap-for-ransom activities, but also carried “separatist" sentiments. “They said it was very important to get their message out in the international media. They said they were the original nomads of Mindanao…(who were stripped of their rights to their land)," said Sinnott. [See: Irish priest Fr. Sinnott freed after one month in captivity] The priest has no plans to file charges against his abductors, whom he said were “very, very kind." While his abductors subjected him to long walks in forested areas, Sinnott said his captors provided him with adequate food, like slices of bread for breakfast, and rice during lunch and dinner. DFA praises MILF The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also praised the MILF for the safe release of the priest. The abductors turned over Sinnott to the MILF before the priest was finally secured by the government. “We note the indispensable role played by the MILF central leadership in securing his release," Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ed Malaya said. The DFA said Sinnot’s release underscored the obligation of both the government and the MILF in maintaining an environment conducive to peace talks. “We all hope [this] will bring lasting peace and progress to Mindanao," Malaya added. The release of the Columban missionary came hours before US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to the Philippines. [See: Protests greet Hillary Clinton's arrival in RP] Armed men abducted Sinnott in Pagadian City last October 11. Last Oct. 31, a local television station aired a video of Sinnott holding an Oct. 22 newspaper and saying his abductors want $2 million for his release. Dolorfino insists that no ransom was paid for Sinnott’s release. - MARK D. MERUEÑAS, JOSEPH HOLANDES UBALDE, GMANews.TV