PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur, Philippines -- Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno has ordered the Zamboanga del Sur Crisis Management Committee (CMC) to clear with Malacañang any move to tap the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) to rescue kidnapped Irish missionary priest Michael Sinnott, a source told the Inquirer.
A source within the CMC, who asked not to be named for not having been assigned to speak publicly on these issues, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that Puno wanted everything on the participation of the rebel group in recovering Sinnott referred to the national government.
Puno attended a special CMC meeting on Sunday, a day after a video of Sinnott establishing "proof of life" was released to authorities and several media outfits, by the kidnappers.
During the CMC meeting on Sunday, the source said, Puno was irked upon knowing that the video was already aired over television even if the CMC had not been convened to view its contents.
Puno said that the Philippine government should know what the MILF intended to do, it being a rebel group in peace talks with the government.
Puno said that all official communication with the MILF should be coursed through the peace panels, the source said.
Prior to this guideline, the CMC had expressed its support for a rescue mission by the MILF, provided it would be done with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
At the moment, the rescue plan is on hold because the CMC wants the MILF to downsize its company-size rescue team (some 75 to 200 armed men). The MILF has said the size of the army would be just right, considering the terrain and the type of enemy they were to face.
The first time the CMC considered the MILF offer, it was coursed through the Joint Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities (JCCCH) and then the Western
Mindanao Command (Westmincom).
With the Puno guideline, the matter could probably be coursed through the Cabinet cluster on national security, said a source familiar with the peace process protocols.
Eid Kabalu, MILF chief for civil-military affairs, earlier said the Western Mindanao Command showed "keen interest in having the offer materialize."
But beyond relegating the CMC into nominal significance, the Puno guideline is worrying several peace advocates.
Abdullah Dalidig, chair of the Muslim Multi-sectoral Movement for Peace and Development, said Puno might not necessarily have a neutral perspective when dealing with the MILF.
The CMC source, who asked not to be identified for not having been assigned to publicly speak on the matter, said Puno told the CMC last Sunday that the MILF has been behind the kidnapping all along and that Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro had the same belief.
But Allan June Molde, CMC spokesperson, said the body had not enough information yet to pin the blame on anyone.
He said the Army's 1st Infantry Division, a member of the CMC, has nothing conclusive to prove such an allegation.
As things stood on Monday, Kabalu said the rebel group would continue to deal with the CMC and Westmincom, which also stood to lose a handle on the matter with the Puno guideline.
Chaired by Zamboanga del Sur governor Aurora Cerilles, the CMC was created by the provincial government to oversee efforts for the search and eventual rescue of Sinnott.
Puno, in a text message to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, said he was also set to attend the CMC meeting on Tuesday (Nov. 3).
Puno said he had suggested to the CMC to refrain from issuing statements without proper confirmation and approval from the National Security Cabinet Cluster.
"We are going to discuss further tomorrow," Puno said in a text message.
Molde said they saw nothing wrong with the suggestion.
"It will allow the Crisis Management Committee to double check information," Molde said.
"We are not keeping anything from the public, we just want to make sure that information will just come from one entity because a lot of information is coming out and it has muddled our approaches on how to deal with the crisis," Molde said.
