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Source: abs-cbnnews.com

-- The Philippines on Sunday rejected a $2-million dollar ransom demand by the kidnappers of an elderly Irish Catholic priest in the troubled south but said it would continue efforts to ensure his release.

Paying money to free Father Michael Sinnott, 78, went against state policy, a spokesman for President Arroyo, Cerge Remonde, told AFP.

"We will do everything to ensure his safe release," Remonde said. "We will, however, stick to the international policy of paying no ransom."

“We assure all that government will do everything within its power and in accordance with international standards to secure the safe release of hostages,” he added.

He said security forces on the southern island of Mindanao were continuing efforts to locate Sinnott, who was seized by gunmen from his missionary office in the southern city of Pagadian on October 11.

"Even the MILF is helping," Remonde said, referring to the 12,000-strong separatist group the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which is negotiating a peace deal with the government.

Remonde, meantime, appealed to journalists “not to give propaganda mileage” to Sinnott’s kidnappers “for the good of the kidnapped priest and in order not to encourage similar barbaric acts.”

“We humbly appeal to our highly respected media professionals to adhere to established canons of journalism and media code of conduct in kidnap cases,” he said.

Even Sinnott’s superior backed the government’s no ransom policy.

In a statement sent to Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines, Fr. Patrick O' Donoghue said that ransom "should not be paid" as per policy of the congregation of the Missionary Society of St. Columban.

Sinnott's kidnappers have released a video of the priest, showing him holding an October 22 issue of a newspaper in the first proof of life obtained by the local press.

"My kidnappers are led by commander Abu Jayad. They are asking $2 million as ransom money," the priest said while standing in front of what appeared to be a bed sheet or table cloth in a forested area.

"We are living in the open, in difficult circumstances. I am still in good health even if I do not have the full medicines."

News of the video, obtained by journalists Saturday, was received with relief by Sinnott's family and colleagues amid worries over his weak heart.

O'Donoghue expressed satisfaction in knowing "that he is alive and that he has some of his medications."

However, the superior said the video "is now eight days old" and the "past week has been very wet here in Mindanao and living in the conditions that he described can only have had an adverse effect on [Sinnott’s] fragile health."

"I hope that he continues to be well," O'Donoghue said.

O'Donoghue added that he hopes that the hearts of the abductors will be open to compassion and fairness.

There have been conflicting reports about who is holding Sinnott, with the military initially saying he was kidnapped by a Muslim pirate active in the area.

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro has said he believes Sinnott is being held by rogue elements of the MILF, a charge denied by the group.

The MILF meanwhile said it did not have an Abu Jayad among its ranks, but says it remains willing to deploy an armed unit for a joint rescue effort with government troops.

Sinnott's kidnapping is the latest in a long list of abductions of foreign missionaries and tourists in the south, where Al-Qaeda-linked militants as well as other Muslim armed groups operate.

Military operations

Meanwhile, the military assured that it is ready to launch rescue operations if negotiations for Sinnott’s release fail.

Military spokesman Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner told “Dateline Philippines Sunday” that government troops have already been deployed “in that general area.”

He added that check points have also been established around possible areas that maybe used as escape routes. Naval forces, meantime, are patrolling the seas, he said.

“As far as the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) is concerned, we are ready to launch rescue operations to recover Father Sinnott and we’re waiting the orders of the crisis management committee,” said Brawner.

The crisis committee, led by Aurora Gov. Aurora Enerio-Cerilles, has been formed to secure the release of the priest.

Brawner, however, maintained that the crisis committee is “exhausting all possible peaceful means” to save Sinnott, and that the launching of military operations is the last option.

The video of the priest is now being used as a “very important document” to determine Sinnott’s location, according to Brawner.

“From this video, we can get some clues as to the whereabouts of Sinnott and the names [of the kidnappers] are now being checked by our intelligence community,” he said.