Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Pagadian (Agenzia Fides) - “The civil-military committee working on the case of the abduction of Fr. Sinnott is working well, thanks to the work of intelligence sources, as well. We are hopeful. There have been positive developments on the case, little steps forward, however no contact with the abductors. We are working for the collaboration of the entire population, to try and get the missionary's medicine to him. We hope that the episode will end well.” This is what Agenzia Fides was told by Fr. Gilbert Hingone, Vicar General of the Diocese of Pagadian, member of the committee of ecclesiastical authorities working with the Crisis Team established by the Filipino government to free Fr. Michael Sinnott, the Missionary of Saint Colomban who was kidnapped on October 11 in Pagadian, on Mindanao Island, in the South Philippines.
Bishop Emmanuel Cabajar of Pagadian, in the meantime, has written a message to the community, which will be read in all the Masses on Sunday, October 18. The message encourages the faithful to pray and cooperate however they can with authorities.
According to the most recent news from Filipino authorities, the military has located Fr. Sinnott in the Province of Lanao in the North. The abductors have probably seen the fliers issued by the Crisis Team, with contact numbers and it seems that some effort has been made to make the necessary medicines reach the missionary. The military says they have the area where Fr. Sinnott is, under control. The armed band has taken their hostage into an area occupied by soldiers of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.
General Benjamin Dolorfino, the head of the Command of Western Mindanao, also confirmed that the band of abductors is a group of pirates led by Guingona Samal, who is wanted for arrest and infamous on the Zamboangan peninsula for previous crimes and kidnapping.
“No special blitz operations are being organized for the rescue of the religious,” the General said. “We will try to negotiate in every way possible and do all we can to find a peaceful solution to the case,” he said. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 16/10/2009)
