Brig. Gen. Angel Atutubo, head of Task Force Pierantoni, said the information was relayed to the military by informants who learned about the negotiations for Pierantoni’s release by a group of private individuals.
"We received information that there is a group who paid P500,000 but the group was apparently duped since they failed to get the priest despite paying the amount," Atutubo said.
Pierantoni was kidnapped by the "Pentagon" kidnap-for-ransom group headed by Tahir Alonto last Oct. 17 from the Sacred Heart of Our Father Church in Dimataling, Zamboanga del Sur.
The Pentagon group is included in the United States’ exclusion list.
Atutubo said the informants reported that the private negotiators managed to contact a person who introduced himself as a member of the Pentagon group.
A payoff, he said, was arranged a few weeks ago. The military, however, was not able to intervene because it was informed about the incident only after money changed hands.
Military officials also had no information where the ransom payment was made.
Atutubo, assistant commander of the 1st Infantry Division, said the military would not intervene in efforts of some individuals to negotiate Pierantoni’s release as long as this would not affect ongoing operations to rescue the Italian priest.
He said some local officials are sending emissaries to the Pentagon group, hoping that they would be able to convince the kidnappers to release the priest on humanitarian grounds.
Atutubo said government troopers are having difficulty rescuing Pierantoni because the kidnappers keep on transferring him from one place to another.
The search for Pierantoni covers Zamboanga del Sur and Lanao del Sur where the kidnappers operate.
He said the military is still optimistic that no harm would befall Pierantoni, who was reportedly ill when he was abducted.
"We have no information that he could be dead. We are assuming that he is still alive because unlike then, his kidnappers have not asked anymore for medicine and other necessities of the priest," Atutubo said.
"We are ready to pull him out; even our helicopters are on standby. Once we have pinpointed his exact whereabouts, we would move," he said.