'Tagged MILF commander helped rescue Irish priest'
MANILA - A Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander tagged by police as mastermind in the kidnapping of Father Michael Sinnott was involved in the rescue of the Irish Columban priest, the separatist group said Thursday morning.
"Commander Aloy Al-Asree, who was tagged by the military and DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno as behind the abduction, denied any involvement; in fact, he was involved in the MILF Task Force Sinnott for the rescue of the priest," the MILF leadership said in a statement posted on www.luwaran.com.
It said the task force turned over the 78-year-old Irish priest to the MILF Coordinating Committee on Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and then turned over to Major Carlos Sol Jr., chairman of the secretariat of the government's CCCH.
Government peace panel chief Rafael Seguis has earlier confirmed the MILF's direct involvement in Sinnott's rescue.
Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, chief of the Armed Forces' Western Mindanao Command, said the priest was turned over to the government's ceasefire committee at the coastal village of Sangali in Zamboanga City at 4:25 a.m.
The MILF did not disclose where and from which group the task force rescued the Irish priest.
The priest was kidnapped from the Columban priests' home in Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur last October 11.
Convince Sinnott to file case
Chief Superintendent Leonardo Espina, Philippine National Police spokesman, told ANC'S News@8 that they will convince Sinnott to "file necessary charges against those who have been implicated in this particular kidnapping case."
Espina did not mention the names of the suspects in the kidnapping case, but said that the suspects have been named by "the secretary," referring to Puno.
Puno had named Al-Asree and five other members of the MILF's 113th Base Command as suspects in the kidnapping.
The other suspects were Latip Jamad, Nasser Macabato, Imam Abubakar, Wanning Abdusalam and Saidamen Alik.
Espina said the police will pursue the investigation against Al-Asree and his men despite the MILF's continued denial of his involvement in the kidnapping.
The police spokesman said operations continue against Al-Asree's group in a forested tri-boundary area of Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur.
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HOW WOULD IT HAPPEN?
Did you know that how it happen? it means the MILF have the control over Fr. Sinnot Kidnapping incident and they are responsible, because they are the group who controlled in that Southern part of Mindanao and by any means anything happen like this is absolutely have their knowledge or they are partly involved. how dare this group claims that they are own the Mindanao as Muslims separatist? if they want Mindanao to be progressive then they need to settle any dispute to the government but not to claim that they need to control the Mindanao as Muslim area over Christians how dare they can say thats insane and stupid idea? who the hell are they? MILF must think this they are not only human beings in Mindanao and as muslims believers of Islam faith they need to proved themselves to follow the righteous way of God so that they are legitimate to claimed a true muslims? if you are in Islam religion this is not means that you are muslims! a true muslims are those who among believed and have fear, faith in God and follow the righteous way of God. for MILF i do not think so?
peace!