The spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Wednesday that the Irish priest abducted by still unidentified armed men last October 11 is still alive.

Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, Armed Forces of the Philippines-Public Information Office chief, told reporters that reports they received from the field revealed that kidnap Irish priest Michael Sinnott, is alive and well and still with his captors.

He added that they have a general idea where Sinnott was taken by his armed captors but ground forces cannot launch rescue operations because the provincial crisis committee is still negotiating for his safe release.

“We are confident that he (Sinnott) is still alive, May general idea kami kung nasan siya (pero) hindi pa kami nag launch ng rescue operation dahil ang namamahala (for the negotiations) eh ang provincial crisis committee,” Brawner told reporters during the Fernandina News Forum at the Club Filipino in Greenhills, San Juan City.

“Ang ginagagawa namin, we are following their orders but we also doing our part by establishing cordons or checkpoints sa exit areas plus along the shorelines, may patrol din kami para hindi sila (kidnappers) maka escape via sea,” the military official added.(Francis T. Wakefield)