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11-04-2009 03:07 ET (US)
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'Fr. Mick is in Lanao del Norte'
KIDNAPPED Columban priest Fr. Michael “Mick” Sinnot is still alive and well, is being attended by a personal nurse and guarded by some 200 militia men, this was the information relayed to this paper by an emissary, the other day, who volunteered to reach the priest to deliver his clothes and medicines.
The emissary, who refused to be identified for this report, disclosed that he was met by two members of the group of Kumander Latip Jamat, a local pirate, and brought to a makeshift camp somewhere in the hinterlands of Sapad, Lanao del Norte.
He stated the place was so distant and secluded it took him three days to travel towards the camp of Jamat, whose group lately has shifted to kidnap-for-ransom activities.
He added that he made rough draft sketches of his expedition to and from Jamat’s base camp but refused to give it to reporters who interviewed him.
When asked if pirate Guingona Samal or Kumander Inggo, who is based in Zambosur, had something to do with Sinnott’s abduction, the emissary replied that he is “not sure.”
Earlier reports quoting MGen. Benjamin Dolorfino of the Western Mindanao Command has initially tagged Samal as the owner of the watercraft used in transporting the 79-year-old priest from Pagadian to Sultan Naga Dimaporo in Lanao del Norte.
The emissary, citing a conversation he heard from Jamat’s men, revealed that Sinnot “arrived in Sitio Bilik around 7:00 in the evening of Oct. 18 with his captors and passing the remote areas of Sitio Simsiman, Sitio Matito until they reached Sitio Mhatar near midnight.”
He then said that Sinnott was turned over by his abductors to the group of Jamat and one Umbra Jumdail, a.k. a. Dr. Abu, a wanted leader of the Abu Sayyaf having links with Al-Qaida militants based in Jolo, Sulu.
The emissary said both Latip and Dr. Abu and their men are holed up in the mountain areas of Sultan Naga Dimaporo, specifically in Sitios Bulandosa, Tuka Alaw, Katipunan, Rombanon and Camangas.
He further said that the Irish priest received the bundle of provisions and medicines last Oct. 21, Wednesday and during the emissary's short stay at the camp, he even saw the private nurse who is taking care of Sinnott and regularly checking his blood pressure.
Meanwhile, Lanao del Norte Provincial Information Officer Lyndon Calica doubted the story of the emissary and belied its truthfulness saying the names of the places being mentioned are “non-existing.”
Likewise, the Crisis Management Committee created by Gov. Aurora Cerilles said it has not yet received any notice about Sinnott and would neither confirm or deny the information, adding also that it has no involvement whatsoever with any efforts to contact Sinnott except only to deliver the medicines to the priest.
Last Monday, Msgr. Gilbert Hingone, appointed spokesperson of the Pagadian Diocese, declared in a news report filed by GMA-7, that they have already established contact with Sinnott's abductors.
In the said interview with the rector, he said that Sinnot's kidnappers opened a negotiation with their emissary for the priest's liberty. However, whatever was asked in exchange, Hingone declined to say.
Hingone likewise made public the elderly priest's present state of health, saying, "he is getting weaker" but very much alive.
"Yes, he's alive and we hope that in the next three days negotiations will progress and Fr. Sinnott will be released," he said.
However, Hingone would not reveal who are those responsible in abducting Sinnott as he said doing so "may endanger the negotiations."
In previous reports, military sources have pinpointed to the abductors' lair as somewhere in the jungle at the tri-boundary of Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Salvador and Sultan Gumander, all in Lanao del Norte.
Military troops are at present barricading the area where Sinnott is being held to prevent the kidnappers from spiriting him out to Basilan Island or hand him over to the Abu Sayyaf.
It was learned that several concerned individuals have earlier approached Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar and volunteered to deliver packed provisions and medicines to the kidnapped priest.
Cabajar, a member of the CMC, is in-charge with the delivery of the medicines to Sinnott. He lately disclosed that nothing has been heard whether Sinnot received the supplies or not.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA & JONG CADION
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MIKE MIJARES MEDINA
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11-04-2009 02:57 ET (US)
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HERE'S THE LATEST FROM THE ZAMBOSUR CRISIS MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE:
Task Force Zebra intensifies forces to 3 containment areas
PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur - Task Force Zebra Commander PSSupt. Francisco Cristobal said that they further strengthened and concentrated their police operations to the three containment areas to determine the exact location of Fr. Michael Sinnott.
Troops from the 9th Regional Command, ZDS Provincial Police Office, ZDN Provincial Command and Zamboanga Sibugay Police Command, comprising the Task Group Sinnott of Zamboanga Peninsula, have been continuously deployed for patrolling in the coastal areas in the entire region.
Meanwhile, Task Group Sinnott – Lanao del Norte has deployed a company size of police of the 10th Regional Mobile Group (RMG) under CSupt Nicanor A. Bartolome.
PSSupt Cristobal said that the three task groups were already in full operations. Two companies from each RMG have been deployed for the law enforcement operations against the suspects. He added that the suspected locations of the priest and his abductors are in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur.
Another company of 9th RMG was directed by Police Regional Director Angelo Sunglao to augment the troops of Police Provincial Director Ramon M. Ochotorena to add in Oplan Saliksik.
On the other hand, PNP troops in Zamboanga Sibugay were mobilized by RD Sunglao within their area of responsibility in the possible entry and egress points of Tungawan, Olutanga Island, and Payao, which are considered traditional areas for such incidents.
“Now our Task Force Zebra is fully-operational and have positioned themselves in the most strategic areas”, said SSupt Cristobal.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines has likewise pre-positioned their troops in the 103rd and 104th Brigades in Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur respectively.
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