ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) said Friday it has identified the group behind the October 11 abduction of Irish priest Michael Sinnott but was deferring a public announcement until after it has revalidated its information.

The MILF’s disclosure came while authorities said they were still trying to sift through what the Zamboanga del Sur government has described as overwhelming information on Sinnott’s whereabouts and the identity of the group behind his abduction.

Eid Kabalu, MILF civil-military affairs chief, said the efforts of the team the rebel organization sent out to locate Sinnott and find out which group took him have “yielded results.”

He credited “several hundreds of Moro fighters, who were directed to identify, locate and rescue the Irish Columban priest” for the those results.

“And we are revalidating all these results before we can go public,” he said.

Pressed on where the priest was, Kabalu said Sinnott was still “in the area of Lanao del Norte.”

He said MILF Western Mindanao Front Commander Benjie Midtimbang was expected to submit the results of the revalidation within the next few days.

Kabalu said the MILF will continue to work with the authorities and will not make unilateral decisions to rescue the priest, who suffers from a heart ailment.

“We are continuously coordinating with the Philippine authorities,” Kabalu said.

Allan Molde, spokesperson of the Zamboanga del Sur Crisis Management Committee, said they were considering all information, including that coming from the MILF.

“The Task Force Zebra receives so much information, so many details. It’s like they all have seen the priest in their respective places at one time; the priest is seen everywhere,” he said.

But Molde said that as of Friday, there was no concrete evidence to show Sinnott was in any of the places where he was reported to have been seen.

“It turned out negative. But all the information, whether believable or ridiculous, we still treat it seriously because there might be some leads,” he said.

A government official involved in the search said they have received reports that Sinnott had died in captivity.

“Bu the leads we are pursuing now [indicate) Sinnott is alive,” said the source, who requested anonymity.

Meanwhile, in Sulu, the Abu Sayyaf is demanding payment of P2 million for the release of a school head identified as Gabriel Canizares they kidnapped last week, police said Friday.

Chief Insp. Amil Baanan, officer in charge of the Sulu police, said the ransom demand was relayed by an emissary.

Hadji Eufremio Canaria, Sulu Education supervisor, said the kidnappers had recently called up using the victim’s mobile phone.

“Bong (Canizares) also (appealed to) his colleagues, teachers of Kanagi and pleaded for help,” he said.

“Where on earth can we get P2 Million when we cannot even provide enough books for our students,” Canaria added.

He urged the kidnappers anew to “better free the head teacher.”

“We cannot just raise those funds. Besides these teachers, like Bong (Canizares), are committed to serve the most remote and dangerous area with limited resources and we should be grateful and supportive of them and not harm them,” Canaria said.

Canizares, head of Kanagi Elementary School, was abducted by eight armed men on Oct. 19 at Kilometer 7 in Tanum, Patikul.

Because of the kidnapping, classes have been suspended at the Kanagi Elementary School.

“The teachers are afraid they would become the next victim, that is why they do not want to report for work there,” Canaria said.