ZAMBOANGA -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) released Friday the identities of six Moro rebels who may have involvement or knowledge in the kidnapping of an ailing Irish priest in Mindanao.

National Police chief Jesus Verzosa named the six rebel leaders as Commander Latip Jamat of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front’s (MILF) 113rd Brigade Command; Salip Aloy Alsree, also a 113rd Based commander; Imam Abubakar, a battalion commander; Saidamen Alik, a battalion commander; Nasser Macabato, an Special Operations Group (SOG) member of the MILF; and another MILF-SOG member Wanning Abdusalam.

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Verzosa said they will summon the six to shed light on the kidnapping of Fr. Michael Sinnott, who was kidnapped in Pagadian City last October 11.

Sinnott, 79, a member of the Mission Society of Saint Columban (MSSC), was strolling inside the compound of the MSSC compound in Gatas district, Pagadian City in Zamboanga del Sur when snatched by about six gunmen.

Verzosa said they would ask the MILF central committee to assist them so that the six identified Moro rebel leaders will appear before the investigators to clear themselves.

He clarified though that the rebels identified by the police are not necessarily the suspects, but “they may have some knowledge on the incident."

"The presumption of innocence is in place here. We are not saying they are guilty. We are saying they are suspects. That is why we are giving them the opportunity to prove their innocence," the police official said.

He added that the PNP is now developing pieces of evidence in preparation for the filing of kidnapping charges against all the people involved in the abduction of Sinnott.

The government has been tagging rouge members of the MILF as responsible for Sinnott’s abduction.

Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said the priest was abducted by a Moro rebel group led by Alsree, and asked the MILF to surface the 113rd Based commander.

However, the MILF repeatedly denied Puno’s allegations, saying Alsree was sent to help in the rescue of Fr. Sinnott. The rebel group warned that Puno’s accusations could hurt the negotiations.

MILF military chief Sammy Al-Mansoor said they will stop helping in the rescue of Sinnott if the government will not negate the effects of Puno’s “unfortunate” statements.

Al-Mansoor said Puno’s allegations are a deliberate attempt “to give negative zero” values to the MILF’s rescue efforts and place the Moro rebel front in a bad light, especially in the international community.

But for Armed Forces chief Victor Ibrado, the government forces are ready to mount a rescue operation to secure the freedom of the kidnapped priest in case of failure of negotiations.

Ibrado said that at present, 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.

The CMC, headed by Zamboanga 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 provinces, where Sinnott is believed to be held captive, constricting 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.

In Malacañang, Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said the Palace welcomes the suggestions made by the Bishops-Ulama conference that the government and MILF should treat each other with sincerity when they talk to find a way to effect the release of Sinnott.

He said the government has not “lost hope that MILF will make good on its promise to help the government work for the speedy release of Father Sinnott.”

He urged the MILF to prove that it is not involved in the kidnapping of the Irish priest by helping secure the captive’s safe release instead of making demands to retract allegations that its members are behind the incident.

Remonde said operations are ongoing to secure the Columban priest who has been suffering from a heart ailment. He advised everyone to continue to pray and “hope for the best. (Bong Garcia/VR/JMR/Sunnex)