P200,000 reward up for information on Sinnott's captors

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The local crisis management committee (CMC) here offered yesterday a P200,000 reward to any person who could help authorities find kidnapped Irish priest Fr. Michael Sinnott.

Alan Molde, spokesman of the CMC, said the peace and order council of Zamboanga del Sur headed by Gov. Aurora Ceriles approved the P200,000 reward during a conference yesterday.

Molde said the CMC has not received any information on the fate of Sinnott since unidentified armed men abducted him last Oct. 11 in Pagadian City.

“The CMC approved today the release of P200,000 reward to whoever can pinpoint the kidnappers’ location and their hostage priest,” Molde said.

Molde said 13 days have passed since Fr. Sinnott was abducted but there has been no verified information about his condition or his whereabouts.

He said the absence of any information has caused apprehensions to the officials and the people of Pagadian.

“We’re really worried especially since Fr. Sinnott needs medicine because of his health condition,” Molde said.

He said the 79-year-old priest, who had undergone quadruple heart bypass surgery, has reportedly not been taking maintenance medicine for his heart ailment.

The military said pirates had kidnapped Sinnott and taken him by boat to Lanao del Sur.

There were reports that the pirates had turned over the priest to the custody of a commander of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The MILF, however, denied any involvement in the kidnapping.