MANILA, Philippines — Irish missionary Fr. Michael Sinnott Thursday cleared the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of involvement in his abduction, saying a “lost command” and the “original lumad” (indigenous people) of Mindanao were responsible.
“[My abductors] are not the MILF … They want it to be known that they are the original lumad of Mindanao who lost their homeland and everything else when the merchants came in,” said Sinnott, who was freed early Thursday after 31 days as a captive.
ZAMBOANGA CITY – (UPDATE 2) Irish missionary Michael Sinnott has been freed by his kidnappers on Thursday morning, according to officials from the military, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Irish government.
Lieutenant General Ben Dolorfino, Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom) chief, said Moro Islamic Liberation Front members, who were tasked to help free Sinnot, turned over the priest to Ambassador Rafael Seguis, chairman of the government peace panel, and Major General Reynaldo Sealana, head of the government's Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities.
Tensions between Cambodia and Thailand were inflamed yesterday after Thaksin Shinawatra, the ousted Thai Prime Minister, was welcomed in Phnom Penh.
Relations between the neighbours — engaged in a border dispute — deteriorated further after Thaksin accepted a new role as economic adviser to the Cambodian Prime Minister, Hun Sen.
The move was seen in Bangkok as a provocation and Thai opponents of Thaksin threatened to demonstrate against his return to the region.
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