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Monday, June 18, 2007
Troops closing in on Bossi’s location
By Bong Garcia
ZAMBOANGA CITY – Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) personnel and government soldiers searching for abducted Italian priest Fr. Giancarlo Bossi are zeroing in a town in Zamboanga Sibugay where the priest is being kept captive.
Soldiers have cordoned off the area and prevented civilians and even members of the media from entering the security zone in Mamagun village in Naga town, Zamboanga Sibugay province.
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Major General Benjamin Dolorfino, co-chairman of the government and MILF Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), said the MILFs are focusing in Naga town where Fr. Bossi is being kept captive.
Dolorfino said his counterparts in the MILF have told him that Fr. Bossi’s abduction will be resolved soon.
The MILF operatives discovered and destroyed the twin engine motorized banca that was used in the abduction of Fr. Bossi to prevent the abductors from using it again.
Fr. Bossi, 57, of the Pontificio Istituto Missioni Estere (Pime) was seized by 10 gunmen last June 10 in Barangay Hilal while he was on his way to celebrate mass in the village of Bulawan, Payao, Zamboanga Sibugay.
He was forced to board in one of the two waiting motorized bancas one of which sped towards Naga town while the other to the municipality of Tungawan.
No ransom payment
On the other hand, the congregation of Fr. Bossi won't pay ransom in case his kidnappers would demand money, a fellow priest said Friday.
Fr. Peter Geremiah, Tribal Filipino coordinator of the Diocese of Kidapawan, said Pime is strongly against heeding ransom demands from kidnappers.
"The organization has a policy not to give in to ransom demands since heeding so will encourage [kidnappers] to do it to other members. The kidnappers might make it a (lucrative) business among religious persons," Geremiah said.
Geremiah appealed to the abductors of Bossi to free him unconditionally due to his community works especially with the poor.
A few years ago, Italian priest Giussepe Pierrantoni was also kidnapped but was released.
But the most controversial was the grisly murder case of Fr. Tulio Favali in Tulunan, North Cotabato in 1985 that led to the conviction of Christian vigilante leader Norberto Manero and his brothers.
Manero and his companions reportedly ate the brains and other internal organs of the victim.
Their original target was supposedly Geremiah but luckily Favali came ahead of him in the area where the killers waited.
Prayer rally
Meanwhile, the members of the Bishop-Ulama Council of the Philippines (BUCP) are joining forces to help in the early recovery of Fr. Bossi from the hands of the abductors.
BUCP also condemned the abduction of Fr. Bossi saying it is unislamic act.
“No one has the right to abduct or hurt other person especially innocent ones,” said Ustadz Shariff Moshin Julabbi, a member of the BUCP.
Pime priest, Fr. Sebastiano D’Ambra said they will hold a prayer rally Monday in Ipil town that will be attended by “my superior,” Fr. Giani Sandalo, Zamboanga Archbishop Romulo Valles and other Church leaders of this city and Zamboanga Sibugay.
Fr. D’Ambra said there is no communication yet between them and the abductors until this time.
Fr. D’Ambra said the military and police authorities have plans but cited he is not privy of the details.(Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga.
(June 18, 2007 issue)
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