MILF: Deployment of company-size Task Force Father Sinnot is best way to help in search-rescue ops
October 31, 2009 - The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
expressed belief that the best option in helping the government’s
search and rescue operations for Father Michael Sinnot is the
deployment of a company-size task force being undertaken by the
Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) – MILF in close coordination
with the government Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of
Hostilities (CCCH).
In response to the letter of Major General
Benjamin Dolorfino, Chief of the Western Mindanao Command – Armed
Forces of the Philippines (AFP), that seek cooperation in the search
and rescue operations for Father Sinnot, MILF has organized Father
Sinnot Task Force last week.
The objective is to help government authorities for the safe
recovery of Father Michael Sinnot pursuant to the instructions of the
MILF Central Committee and the Directive of the Chief of Staff of the
Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) – MILF in conjunction to the
letter of Gen. Dolorfino.
Its operational concept was
immediately submitted by MILF to the Government of Republic of the
Philippines (GRP) through the GRP – MILF CCCH. This was a necessary
course in order to ensure proper coordination and collaboration of
efforts between the two parties on whatever undertaking in the context
of GRP – MILF peace process, agreements and principles.
The
task force could have been deployed and started its mission days ago as
complementary efforts to the government search and rescue operations
had the MILF proposal, submitted through proper course, was heeded to.
However,
the government’s Crisis Management Committee (CMC), wherein the good
Gen. Dolorfino is a member, declined the deployment of the MILF’s
company-size Father Sinnot Task Force. This was contained in the letter
of the CMC signed by its Chairperson Honorable Governor Aurora
Enerio-Cerilles of Zamboanga Del Sur on October 28, 2009.
While
the CMC welcomes the cooperation of the MILF but suggested instead for
the deployment of an unarmed 20-man MILF task force with limited tasks
confined at providing information and assisting in the negotiations for
the release of Father Sinnot.
Sinnot, an Irish priest and
Columban Missionary, was abducted in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur
by still unidentified perpetrators in the evening of October 11, 2009.
The
government and the MILF have been collaborating in the search and
rescue of Father Sinnot since the abduction took place. But some
high-ranking government officials, to include the Secretary of the
Department of National Defense and the AFP spokespersons, joined the
charade accusing MILF members being involved in the kidnapping, which
the MILF leadership had vehemently belied.
Meanwhile, in its
response letter to the CMC through the GRP CCCH, the MILF said “We have
one common goal in this endeavor that is to ensure the safe recovery of
His Reverend Father Michael Sinnot, and the MILF finds it that the best
way to be of help in the realization of this goal is the deployment of
the task force being undertaken in the nature of a collaborative
operations between the government and MILF.”
“In the spirit of the peace process, the MILF is bent to carry out the task force because criminality should not be condoned, particularly this kidnapping of our friend Father Sinnot. We hope that the abductors will feel the message across that the GRP and MILF are sincere, determine and will thrive.”
“The deployment of a mere unarmed 20-man task force with limited role is not the best option to be taken in the common efforts to rescue the kidnapped priest.”
MILF cited the reasons why it is necessary to field a company-size task - (1) the area of operations of Father Sinnot Task Force is large, covering the jungle at the tri-boundary of the municipalities of Sultan Gumander, Sultan Naga and Sapad; (2) the actual number of the kidnappers who are presumably equipped with high-powered firearms could be more than 20; and (3) that the operation of the task force is rigid and could go on for at least many days in the middle of the jungle where Father Sinnot could have been hidden by its kidnappers.
However, MILF is amendable to the establishment of a Coordinating Center as proposed by the CMC in its letter to the MILF.
“The Coordinating Center will be the mechanism in place that could be utilized to ensure that misencounter between MILF troops and government forces will be avoided.”
