No ransom for Fr. Sinnot

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor PATRICK PANGILINAN Busines Editor NIDA A. BUENAFE Sports Editor RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Leaders of the Catholic Church in the Philippines have rejected outright the demand for $2 million as ransom by the kidnappers of Columban missionary Fr. Michael Sinnot, who was abducted in Pagadian City in Mindanao three weeks ago.

The Philippine government has also turned down the ransom demand and reiterated its no-ransom policy, as it had also done before in the case of kidnappings in that region that had victimized not only priests, but also businessmen, ordinary citizens, and even media practitioners.

The regional director of the Order of St. Columban, Fr. Pat Donoghue, has also stressed the unacceptability of the act of paying ransom for any of their members. As Fr. Donoghue stated it, giving in to the unjust demands of the kidnappers would reduce the members of their mission to “commodities” for which a price is set. He said he would rather have the ransom money, if at all there is any, given to the poor, to finance their food, shelter and medical needs.

Fr. Donoghue speaks as a true missionary who, by taking on their mission and consecrating their lives to it, had virtually pledged themselves to undergo any sacrifice as being part of their calling. So his message is clear to the criminals holding his colleague: Do not look to us to provide the money you are demanding in exchange for the freedom of Fr. Sinnot.

The same message is supposedly being sent by the government, but many doubt if this had been truly observed in the cases of other kidnap victims before. Despite the protestations of “no ransom”, talks had always been rife after the release of one that, no ransom, but some kind of payment for “board and lodging” had been given. And that is why, those who are engaged in such practices have not been discouraged and have, in fact, persevered in the practice.

In the meantime, government agents assigned to the project of rescuing the hostaged priest, deplore media actions in writing or airing what they know about the condition of the victim, while they also continue to telegraph their moves, which must make matter s easier to the culprits who are, after all, not bound by either laws of the country, or even of our God, to whom Fr. Sinnot and his fellow missionaries have entrusted his fate.*