PAGADIAN CITY, Philippines—The Moro Islamic Liberation Front said Saturday a rescue operation to free kidnapped Irish priest Father Michael Sinnot from the hands of his abductors in Lanao del Norte remained the primary option up to now.

But a rebel official said the MILF was "open to the idea" of helping the Zamboanga del Sur Crisis Management committee explore a window of opportunity for possible negotiations with the group holding the 79-year-old ailing priest.

Eid Kabalu, MILF civil-military affairs chief, said the rebel group's central command was studying the crisis committee’s request alongside preparations for the launching of the rescue mission.

But Kabalu stressed that the rebel group was "greatly inclined" to pick rescue operation as an option "because getting into negotiations is like pampering 'yang mga tarantadong 'yan."

He was quick to point out though that "the safety of Fr. Sinnott will always be a primary consideration" in the rescue mission.

Kabalu said the MILF was worried that entertaining another option for Sinnott's recovery might further lengthen his captivity.

The priest has been in captivity for 20 days.

He explained that on the part of the MILF, its own Task Force Sinnott was only mandated to launch search and rescue missions, and adding negotiations as another task, would require a new mandate from the rebel group's central command.

"But if the central leadership so decides to expand the mandate of the task force, it is duty-bound to obey," Kabalu said.

The group holding Sinnott is "small but equipped with high-powered firearms," according to Kabalu.

This was the same reason why the MILF wanted to achieve "armed predominance" in the course of the planned rescue operation, he said.

But Kabalu said the MILF has heeded the crisis committee’s call for the MILF to downsize the team that it has sent out to secure the ailing priest.