November 10, 2009, Inquirer Mindanao, 3:36 PM, MILF sends 3,000 men to find kidnapped Irish priest, by Jeoffrey Maitem,

November 10, 2009, Inquirer Mindanao, 3:36 PM, MILF sends 3,000 men to find kidnapped Irish priest, by Jeoffrey Maitem,

COTABATO CITY, Philippines?The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) redeployed its forces Tuesday to continue its search for abducted Irish missionary, Father Michael Sinnott.

Earlier, the MILF threatened to call off its rescue mission after Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno accused a ranking rebel commander of involvement in the Sinnott abduction.

Mohagher Iqbal, MILF chief negotiator, said they had evaluated the conciliatory statements of key government officials in the face of Puno?s ?blunt accusation? and decided to continue helping in the efforts to recover the 79-year-old ailing priest.

He cited Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita?s statement that the MILF should be given the benefit of the doubt and Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Annabelle Abaya?s statement that the government has never blamed the rebel group for the kidnapping.

?Our forces are on the ground right now but I can?t give you the exact details. The troops we used were those assigned in the Lanao provinces because they are familiar with the terrain,? Iqbal told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone.

He said Aloy Alsree, whom Puno had accused of involvement in the Sinnott kidnapping, was the one leading the search operation with about 3,000 men involved.

?We have no time table as to when we can get Sinnott. His captors are like eagles,? Iqbal said.

Alan Molde, spokesperson of the Zamboanga del Sur crisis management committee, said they were optimistic that Sinnott would be home soon because of the efforts to secure his release.

Sinnott was abducted by six gunmen from the Columban House in Pagadian City on October 11.

He was the second foreign missionary kidnapped in Mindanao during the last three years.

In 2007, Italian priest Giancarlo Bossi spent a month in captivity before he was released by Abu Sayyaf extremists.