October 17, 2009, GMA News, 9:04 PM, Cops go high-tech vs Sinnott's abductors,

October 17, 2009, GMA News, 9:04 PM, Cops go high-tech vs Sinnott's abductors,

Literally, the police now have a much clearer picture of what the abductors of Irish priest Michael Sinnott look like, thanks to their computer-generated sketches.

 

 

 

 

 

Last Wednesday, the police released three hand-drawn sketches of the men who snatched the missionary from his house at the Missionary Society of St. Columban compound in Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur last Sunday evening. [See:Police, NBI release artist's sketches of Sinnott's abductors]

But going a step further into identifying the suspects, the Philippine National Police - with the help of computer technology - later patched up various features of the suspects as described by witnesses to come up with more realistic images of the men.

Eventually, the police came up with the faces of five men, four of whom were seen taking away Sinnott. The last one was believed to have been the buyer of the group's getaway Suzuki multi-cab. [Click each photograph to get a description of the suspects]

The US-based Columban missionaries have earlier asked the American government to step in and to exhaust all peaceful means to negotiate Sinnott's safe release.

Earlier reports quoted Maj. Gen. Benjamin Dolorfino, chief of the military’s Western Mindanao Command, as saying the suspects had made contact with Sinnott's superiors. The head of the Columban Fathers in the Philippines would later deny Dolorfino's claim.

The local government of Zamboanga del Sur has begun distributing flyers showing a photograph of the Irish priest along with mobile phone numbers that could be contacted for any information that would lead to Sinnott's rescue.

“We hope that through this ay makapag-establish na rin kami ng contact para mapakiusapan sana na magdala ng mga gamot kay Fr. Sinnott (We hope that through this, we could establish contact with the abductors and to bring medicines to Fr. Sinnott)," said Zamboanga del Sur Public Information Office chief Allan June Molde.

Sinnott is the latest foreign national to be kidnapped in southern Philippines, following the abduction by the al-Qaeda linked Abu Sayyaf of two Swiss and Italian humanitarian workers in Sulu. They were eventually released.

Notorious for abducting Filipinos and foreign nationals alike in the past years, the Abu Sayyaf is one of the few groups fighting for an independent state in Mindanao.

Though not known for resorting to abduction, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front - formed in the 1970s - has also been thrown into the hot seat after police claimed Sinnott had been turned over to an MILF commander in Lanao del Norte.

The MILF has denied involvement in the kidnapping and even expressed willingness to help the government look for the 79-year-old Irish priest. - GMANews.TV