PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines -- The video clip that served as a "proof of life" for Irish missionary priest Michael Sinnott last Saturday has pushed the Zamboanga del Sur Crisis Management Committee (CMC) at a crossroad on whether to let rescue or negotiation take precedence in recovering him from his kidnappers.

Prior to the video's release, the CMC had virtually given the go-signal for a rescue mission although it wanted the rebel group Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to downsize its troop contingent for such an operation.

Eid Kabalu, MILF chief for civil-military affairs, earlier said the rebel group called off activating its rescue force to wait for the CMC approval of its troop size.

In a post in its official website, the MILF said that a company-size contingent (75 to 200 troops) would be necessary in a large area where they were expected to operate and where the kidnappers had high-powered firearms.

The MILF also said the rescue operation could go on for days.

Allan June Molde, CMC spokesperson, said the multi-sectoral body would tackle whether to push for rescue or negotiation during its regular meeting on Tuesday.

But even this early, Molde said the CMC was inclined "to exhaust all peaceful means first" before deciding on a rescue mission.

Molde said the safety of Sinnott has been an overriding concern for the CMC members.

Kabalu said the rebel group's rescue plan was formulated with Sinnott?s safety in mind.

Earlier, the MILF offered to mobilize a company-size force to rescue Sinnott from his kidnappers in a jungle lair in southern Lanao del Norte. The offer was coursed through the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (JCCCH), which then forwarded it to the Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

In deciding on the request, the CMC had urged both the AFP and the MILF to enter into a joint effort for recovering Sinnott.

It also asked the rebel group to help verify information on Sinnott?s location, identify the persons and groups involved in the kidnapping, ensure the delivery of medicines and other provisions to Sinnott, and facilitate negotiations.

Chaired by Zamboanga del Sur governor Aurora Cerilles, the CMC oversees the entire effort for the search and rescue of Sinnott, who belongs to the Missionary Society of Saint Columban.

Last week, the MILF claimed to have identified the group that kidnapped Sinnott and their location.

The MILF said that in trying to recover Sinnott, its forces would operate in the jungle expanse between Sultan Gumander town in Lanao del Sur, and Sultan Naga Dimaporo and Sapad towns in Lanao del Norte.

Kabalu revealed that at the onset of the MILF offer, "prior ground coordination" with the military units in the area was also done through the JCCCH to prevent misencounters.

But Molde said the CMC did not have definite information on Sinnott?s location and could not approve any rescue plan, yet.

He said that while they were leaning towards negotiations, they still had no complete idea of whom they would have to deal with.

But several sources familiar with the CMC's work and within the Catholic church revealed that contacts with the kidnappers had been initiated several times throughout the past three weeks.

The Church source mentioned the NBI as among "the negotiators."

Short of admitting the establishment of contact, Molde himself talked about the possibility that medicines sent through an emissary had already reached Sinnott "given that he looks fine physically (in the video)."