Fears growing for priest after two weeks in captivity

FEARS are growing about the wellbeing of kidnapped Irish priest Fr Michael Sinnott, who is entering his third week of captivity in the Philippines today.

Reports at the weekend from the Philippines said the 79-year-old was alive but unwell.

Fr Sinnott was taken at gunpoint from his mission office in the city of Pagadian, on Mindanao island, on 11 October. Last week the Department of Foreign Affairs dismissed rumours that the missionary, who underwent heart surgery recently, had died in captivity.

The Philippines head of the Missionary Society of Saint Columban, Fr Pat O’Donoghue has stated he is convinced Fr Sinnott is alive.

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front has rejected Filipino government allegations the priest was in the custody of one of its leaders, and the guerrilla group has offered to aid attempts to locate the missing cleric.

There have been unconfirmed reports that Fr Sinnott has been sighted in the custody of the rebel to the group which is in ceasefire talks with the government.

Meanwhile the Department of Foreign Affairs has refuted allegations that €150,000 was paid to Sudanese kidnappers to secure the release of Goal aid worker Sharon Commins and her Ugandan colleague Hilda Kawuki.

An Arab tribal leader in the Darfur region who played a key role in negotiating the release of the two women, who were freed on October 18, has claimed the ransom was provided by the Sudanese government to the kidnappers.

Following the disclosure of the tribal leader Musa Hilal’s claim on Saturday, the Department of Foreign Affairs issued a brief statement saying the Government had not paid any money to secure the release of the two women, and that they had been assured by the Sudanese government that they had paid no ransom.

Goal chief executive John O’Shea has also denied that any ransom was paid.