MORO Islamic liberation Front (MILF) has extended its deadline for the government to rebuff Secretary Ronaldo Puno’s statements accusing the rebel group to be behind Fr. Michael Sinnott’s kidnapping.

In a report by Luwaran.com, the MILF said that on Monday, few hours before the deadline lapses, it is seriously considering extending the timeline for the government to come up with a statement whether to uphold Puno that the MILF as an organization is behind the kidnapping of Sinnot as the official government line or not.

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The MILF said that Sinnott was kidnapped by a notorious pirate, Commander Inggo in Pagadian City on October 11. Puno earlier accused one MILF commander Alshree as behind Sinnott’s kidnapping.

Muhammad Ameen, chairperson of the MILF Central Committee, however, said in the report that the MILF central leadership is evaluating the statements of Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Annabelle Abaya, and Ambassador Rafael Seguis, chief peace negotiator, as the official line of the government, short of rebuffing Puno.

Ermita said during several interviews with reporters: “Let us give the MILF the benefit of the doubt, from my point of view, the offer of the MILF to offer help is a confidence-building measure.”

Abaya, for her part, told reporters that the government has not blamed the MILF.

Ameen clarified that the MILF has not threatened to pull out of the peace talks over Sinnott’s kidnapping but only on the joint efforts with the government in the rescue, which he said the MILF can do it alone.

"If they mistook our sincere effort to help by accusing us of doing the crime, then we can do it on our own. After all, what is paramount now is the safety of the priest. He is very old and he is very ailing. We can deal on the accusation and we're very sure, Puno will eat his words soon," Ameen said. (BOT)