ARMED Forces chief Victor Ibrado on Friday said government forces will mount a rescue operation to secure the freedom of kidnapped priest Michael Sinnott when there is no longer a hope for his safe release through negotiations.

At present, Ibrado said they are allowing the Crisis Management Committee (CMC) to recover the 79-year-old Columban missionary, through peaceful means although there has been no major breakthrough on the negotiations.

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The CMC, headed by Zamoanga del Sur Governor Aurora Cerilles, was organized following the October 11 kidnapping of Sinnott in Pagadian City. It includes Major General Romeo Lustestica, commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division, as a member.

“We’re taking the cue from them (CMC officials). If they feel that there is hope in the negotiations, then all we want is a signal from them so that we can conduct rescue operations,” said Ibrado.

Thousands of soldiers and police have been deployed at the boundary of Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte, where Sinnott is believed being held, constrict the movement of the kidnappers.

“Once the Crisis Management Committee says that there are no longer hopes in the negotiations, then we can conduct combat operations to rescue Fr. Sinnott,” Ibrado added.

Ibrado said that based on intelligence information, rogue members of the Moro Islamic Liberation (MILF) are the ones holding Sinnott.

“We also received some information saying that such and such commander of the SOG (Special Operations Group) of the MILF are the ones holding him but the MILF is also denying it,” said Ibrado, without identifying the MILF commanders involved.

Earlier, Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno tagged Aloy Al Asree, commander of the MILF’s 113rd Base Command, as behind the kidnapping.

The MILF leadership had denied any responsibility in the kidnapping.

MILF chief negotiator even demanded the government to retract the accusations of its security officials, blaming secessionist rebels for the kidnapping.

The MILF gave the government a week to retract Puno’s allegation.

“We have information to that effect,” said Ibrado, replying to a question if MILF members are indeed behind the kidnapping.

“That’s an intelligence report.” he also said, adding this information is subject to validation.

But Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the MILF should prove that they are not involve in the kidnapping of Sinnott by helping secure his safe and immediate rescue instead making demands on the government to retract allegations that their members maybe involved in the incident.

The MILF must prove its sincerity by taking steps to help the ongoing operations, he added.

This, to refute the reports that one of their commanders maybe involve, confident that the government and the Muslim secessionist group would be able to work some arrangement or mechanism to work together.

According to Remonde, operations are ongoing to secure Sinnott.

He advised everyone to continue to pray and at the same time “hope for the best and prepare prep for the worst.”

Both Peace Adviser Annabelle Abaya and Foreign Undersecretary and chairman of the government peace panel negotiating with the MILF Rafael Seguis reiterated that the kidnapping of Sinnott should not be intertwined with the peace negotiations which she hopes will resume in December.

“I have faith and trust in the MILF…otherwise… I have no business talking to them,” Seguis said in a statement.

He said the government peace panel is set to go to Kuala Lumpur where formal reopening of the peace talk next month, adding that the prospects for resumption of the peace talks with MILF are bright after the government peace panel and its MILF counterpart recently signed an agreement for the protection of civilians in armed conflict areas in Mindanao. (VR/JMR/Sunnex)