The Philippine National Police (PNP) will convince Father Michael Sinnott to identify and testify against his abductors in the string of criminal charges that will be filed against suspected members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who allegedly kidnapped and held him captive for 32 days.

Director General Jesus Verzosa, PNP chief, said they are building up a case against the kidnappers of Sinnott based on testimonies of witnesses and evidence obtained by local authorities since the priest was kidnapped in Pagadian City.

“We will try, we will convince him to testify because this will strengthen the case that we are going to file,” Verzosa said in a phone interview.

Sinnott was released in the town of Sangali in Zamboanga del Sur at around 4:30 a.m. Thursday following negotiations made by some MILF officials to the abductors. They then turned over the Irish priest to the government.

Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina, PNP spokesman, said they are now finalizing the case of kidnapping for ransom that will be filed against the kidnappers of Sinnott before the local court.

Espina explained that whether or not ransom was paid is immaterial since the strong evidence that would pin down those who would be charged is the video footage showing Sinnott reading a prepared statement that demands $2 million ransom from the government.

He said that a ransom demand is one of the elements that would strengthen the case of kidnapping for ransom, which is a non-bailable offense and punishable by life imprisonment.

“We will be using that video footage, along with the testimonies of some witnesses and the evidence that we obtained,” said Espina.

The official added that even if Sinnott for instance would not cooperate, the case will still push though not only because a crime was committed but also because they have so far sufficient evidence to pursue the case.

“But we will try to get statement from him, his statement that he was indeed kidnapped is already a strong point in pursuing the case,” said Espina.

“We will get his statement, that is a normal police procedure,” Verzosa said.

KIDNAPPERS NAMED
The involvement of the MILF in the release of Sinnott appeared not to impress police officials because of reports some MILF members were responsible for the kidnapping.

Espina said they have sufficient evidence and testimonies proving that there were some MILF personalities involved not only in the abduction itself but also in providing safe refuge to the kidnappers and their victim.

He identified the six who will be named as respondents in the case as Salip Aloy Alsree, commander of the 113 Base Command of the MILF; Latip Jamat; Nasser Macabuto; Imam Abubakar; Waning Abdusalam; and, Saidaman Alic.

“The case will definitely be filed, and as soon as the warrants of arrest are issued we will hunt them down and make them answerable for the crime they committed,” said Espina.

Espina said pursuit operations against Sinnott kidnappers are continuing with the PNP’s elite force such as the Provincial and Regional Mobile Groups and the Special Action Force (SAF) cordoning off the tri-boundaries of Lanao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and Zamboanga del Sur.