MANILA -- Muslim rebel leaders Thursday refused a government demand to force one of their members accused of kidnapping an Irish priest to come out and personally deny the allegation.

Aloy Al Asree, the commander of the 113rd Based Command of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), would not want to turn himself into a target by the authorities, an MILF official said.

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"It's complicated. He might be arrested if he shows up at the (government) crisis management committee," MILF chief peace negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said, referring to local officials seeking contact with the kidnappers.

Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno said this week that Al Asree was involved in the abduction of Fr. Michael Sinnott, 79, in Pagadian City last October 11.

Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez said he is certain that the accusations will have an impact on the stalled peace negotiations.

"Those people concerned should be careful with their words because it may affect the peace talks," Iñiguez warned.

Although the kidnappers have released a video in which Sinnott spoke, they have not revealed their identities.

The MILF has denied Al Asree or any other rebel leader is involved in the kidnapping and warned that such accusations could hurt the negotiations.

It did, however, confirm that the 45-year-old Al Asree commanded over 3,000 followers.

MILF leaders demanded that the government take back the statement issued by Puno, adding that they are contemplating on lodging a formal protest before the negotiating body.

Press Undersecretary Anthony Golez said the MILF may file protest charges against Puno if they felt offended by his allegation.

Golez said it is understandable that the MILF would take offense and it would be better if they just raise their concerns at the peace negotiation level.

MILF military chief Sammy Al-Mansoor, for his part, said Puno's statement "did not only put the MILF in a bind: 'damn if we do (the rescue) and damn if we don't' but also made the MILF as the kidnapper."

He described Puno's statement as a deliberate attempt "to give negative zero" values to the MILF's rescue efforts and to shame the MILF before the international community especially the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Al-Mansoor said the MILF role in the rescue mission will be put on hold at the end of this week unless the Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) will come up with a corrective measure "to effect the inconsequential of Puno's unfortunate statement."

In Malacañang, Deputy Presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said Puno's statement was based on the intelligence reports from the military and the police and it is up to the MILF to prove that it was wrong.

Fajardo said Puno could answer any valid concerns of the MILF.

She however stressed that the priority at the moment is to secure the safe and immediate release of Sinnott without scuttling the peace negotiations between the government and the MILF.

Fajardo said while the government would not allow the peace negotiations to be compromised, it is urging the Moro rebel group to prove that they are not involved in the kidnapping by answering the charges of Puno.

Amid the word-war between MILF and Puno, Fajardo said the government is not shunning aid in rescuing Sinnott but that they would also do not want to compromise the operations of the authorities.

For her part, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Annabelle Abaya urged authorities to be more cautious in the handling of the kidnapping situation lest it jeopardize the peace negotiations with the MILF.

Abaya said securing the safe and immediate release of Sinnott is the most important thing at present and finger pointing as to who are the kidnappers is not helping and should even be done later.

She expects the negotiations would resume next month after the government and the MILF signed an agreement last month ensuring the safety of civilians in armed conflict areas in southern Philippines.

Despite the recent turn of events, Iñiguez remains hopeful that the heads of the two peace panels will still be able to control the situation.

Meanwhile, Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president Archbishop Angel Lagdameo said the government should not use force in trying to rescue Sinnott.

"It should be done in a peaceful way. There should be talks so as to avoid violence from anyone," said Lagdameo in an interview over Radio Veritas Thursday.

The Jaro, Iloilo prelate also expressed opposition to the idea of paying ransom for the release of the kidnapped priest.

"His congregation is not rich. They are even helping us. It's not right to give ransom," said Lagdameo.

Sinnott has a history of heart problems and his religious order, the Society of Saint Columban, has repeatedly expressed fears about the impact the ordeal would have on his health.

Government and church leaders have rejected a $2-million ransom demand.(Jill Beltran/JMR/FP/MSN/PNA/Sun.Star Cebu/Bong Garcia/Sunnex)