THE Philippine National Police (PNP) released Friday the identities of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) leaders who may have involvement or knowledge in the kidnapping of an Irish priest in Mindanao.

The rebel leaders were identified as Commander Latip Jamat of the MILF's 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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The identities of these Moro rebel leaders were released following a closed-door meeting Friday morning of the Crisis Management Committee in Zamboanga City, which was attended by top military and police officials, as well as Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Ronaldo Puno.

PNP Director General Jesus Versoza said the six identified MILF leaders would be summoned to shed light on the kidnapping of Fr. Michael Sinnott, who is a member of the Mission Society of Saint Columban (MSSC).

Sinnott, 79, was seized by six gunmen in the evening of October 11 while strolling at the MSSC compound in Gatas District, Pagadian City, the capital of Zamboanga del Sur.

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

"They are not necessarily the suspects, but they may have some knowledge on the incident," Versoza said.

"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," Puno said.

Versoza said they are developing pieces of evidence in preparation for the filing of kidnapping charges against all the people involved in the abduction of Sinnott.

He added that the investigation started since the time Sinnott was seized from the MSSC compound in Pagadian City.