Captors of a 79-year-old Irish missionary kidnapped in the southern Philippines have released a video in which the priest says his abductors are demanding $2 million to release him.
It shows Rev Michael Sinnott holding a copy of the October 22 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper 11 days after his abduction.
Rev Sinnott appeals in a weak voice to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the Irish government, his fellow missionaries and friends "who may have pity ... to help so that I can get out of here as soon as possible."
Gunmen seized Rev Sinnott in southern Pagadian city in Zamboanga del Sur province on October 11 in the latest hostage crisis to grip this predominantly Roman Catholic nation.
It remains unclear who is holding Rev Sinnott. The volatile south has grappled with decades of Muslim separatist unrest, and militants have conducted kidnappings in the past but denied involvement in Sinnott's abduction.
Allan Molde, spokesman for the provincial Crisis Management Committee handling the hostage crisis, said the video was handed to a law enforcer on the committee by one of its operatives on Saturday.
Mr Molde said he recognised Rev Sinnott on the video.
"He's well, he's OK, but you can see the sadness in his face," Mr Molde said by telephone from Pagadian.
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