October 21, 2009, GMA News, 10:42 AM » Officials still clueless on Fr. Sinnott’s location,

October 21, 2009, GMA News, 10:42 AM » Officials still clueless on Fr. Sinnott’s location, 

Ten days after the abduction, the crisis management committee working for the release of Irish priest Michael Sinnott admitted they remain clueless about his whereabouts.

Crisis management spokesman and Zamboanga del Sur public information office chief Allan June Molde said Wednesday they are "very, very worried" over Sinnott’s condition.

"Until this time there’s no sign as to his whereabouts, sino ang nag-kidnap sa kanya. We are very, very worried (Until this time there is no sign as to his whereabouts, or who kidnapped him. We are very, very worried)," Molde said in an interview on dzXL radio.

He said provincial officials including Governor Aurora Cerilles are particularly concerned about Sinnott’s health, as the 79-year-old priest has a heart condition.

Also, he noted there has been no contact from Sinnott’s abductors, at least with the provincial government, and this has caused the failure of authorities to send the medicines needed by Sinnott.

"On the part ng simbahan at crisis management committee, wala pa ang gamot na binibigay namin (On the part of the local Catholic church and the crisis management committee, we have not been able to get needed medicines to him)," he said.

Lanao provinces?

On Monday, military authorities believed Sinnott is being held captive in the Lanao provinces even as they would not completely rule out reports that the Irish priest had been taken to either Zamboanga del Norte or Basilan. [See: Fr. Sinnott being held in Lanao provinces - AFP]

Amid the uncertainty on Sinnott's whereabouts, Molde is appealing to media outlets covering the incident not to speculate on Sinnott’s location or his condition, adding his office will issue announcements based on verified information.

At the time Sinnott was seized on the night of Oct. 11, he was reportedly recuperating from a heart bypass operation. 

Appeals 

Meanwhile, Islamic leaders in Mindanao joined Wednesday appeals to the kidnappers to release Sinnott, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said.

The CBCP news site said the National Ulama Conference of the Philippines (NUCP) called on the abductors to treat Sinnott with respect and release him soonest.

"This serves only to widen the rift especially between Muslims and our brothers, the Christians, and perpetuate hatred and misunderstanding," the NUCP said, referring to the abduction.

Armed men abducted Sinnott in Pagadian City last October 11. No group has so far come forward to claim responsibility for the abduction.

NUCP condemned the kidnapping "as violently opposed to the tenets of Islam and Christianity as well as of a diversity of other faiths."

On the other hand, it asked media not to malign the name of Islam by using terms like "Islamic militants" and "Muslim terrorists" in reference to the priest’s abductors.

But it said it appreciates media’s courage in fighting injustices as "remarkably Islamic" in nature and "one that derives its strength from finding unity in diversity."

Hangop Kabataan

Sinnott, of Wexford County, southeast Ireland, was ordained in 1954 and assigned to Mindanao in 1957 where he stayed until 1966. He returned to the Philippines in 1976.

In 1998, he established Hangop Kabataan (care for youth), a Diocese of Pagadian-based rehabilitation program for children with special physical and other needs.

The center caters to around sixty children who attend daily. About one third of these have been diagnosed as autistic, while the rest have other mental and physical disabilities. - GMANews.TV