COTABATO, Philippines, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- Muslim rebels on Thursday rejected a challenge of Philippine government to surface their field commander allegedly holding the 79-year-old ailing Irish priest Michael Sinnott in the volatile south but assured continued efforts to secure the foreign missionary.

    Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita earlier told reporters that for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front to prove its sincerity in offering help to authorities in tracking down captors of Sinnott, they should consider producing Commander Aloy Al Asree, whom Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno had tagged as the one keeping the foreign missionary.

    He said that such a move would prove that the MILF is really bent on helping in government efforts to safely recover the priest, who was abducted on Oct. 11 at the Columban House in Pagadian City.

    But Mohagher Iqbal, chief negotiator for the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, said by phone from his hideout in the jungles of Maguindanao province that there are no mechanisms under the peace talks for them to produce their men implicated in criminal activities to clean their names.

    "It's complicated. He might be arrested if he shows up to the crisis management committee. Beside, Puno said before that the government is contemplating on filing charges against Al Asree," Iqbal said.

    "Maybe we can surface him (Al Asree) in extreme cases but not with any groups," he added.

    Iqbal said half-Arab blooded Al Asree, 45, who joined their organization in the early 80, is holding four battalions with over 3000 followers.

    "The same with the Philippine military, we have no absolute control with Al Asree's forces," Iqbal said.