Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rejected attempts by the Philippines to link the gunmen holding the priest to the Muslim group.

Mohaqher Iqbal, head of the peace panel, said, "there may be some groups who want to sabotage the talks and discredit the MILF in the eyes of the international community."

The Philippines also rejected an offer by the country's largest Muslim group to help free an Irish Catholic priest held on a southern island, the interior secretary said on Tuesday.

Ronaldo Puno also barred local authorities and police from contacting the MILF.

Iqbal told Reuters the group was sincere in offering help to free Sinnott.

"Although we welcome and appreciate the efforts of the MILF to participate in the release of Sinnott, we believe it should be within the confines of the agreements that the MILF had forged with the government."

Earlier, MILF said has deployed hundreds of its forces to help rescue kidnapped Irish priest Sinnott in the Lanao provinces.

Puno reiterated the government's stand that it would not pay any ransom to free the Irish missionary, taken at gunpoint while walking at a church garden in Pagadian City on Oct. 11. He was later taken to nearby coastal areas in Lanao province on the southern island of Mindanao.

The missionary's kidnappers have demanded a ransom of $2 million.

Any attempt to rescue Sinnott would be a police action, with the military taking a support role, Puno said.

MILF and the government moved one step closer to resuming formal peace talks with an agreement to protect civilians and their properties in armed conflict last month.



Agencies

Güncelleme Tarihi: 03 Kasım 2009, 16:22