U.S. hostage 'may be dead', says military

President Arroyo greets a wounded volunteer

By staff and wires reports

MANILA, Philippines -- The Philippines military has admitted for the first time that U.S. hostage Guillermo Sobero may be dead.

The admission comes on the same day Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo visited the southern island province of Basilan where the Abu Sayyaf guerrillas are holding the 23 Filipino and three American hostages.

In Manila, Brigadier General Edilberto Adan told a press conference the belief was based in part on information provided by one of the three recently released hostages but he stressed no body had been found.

"We have strong reasons to believe the statement of Mr. Ganzon that Guillermo Sobero is dead," Adan said.

AUDIO CNN's Kathy Quiano says the Philippine military believes U.S. hostage Guillermo Sobero may be dead 1.28MB / 2 min 01 seconds AIFF or WAV sound   AUDIO CNN's Kathy Quiano reports on President Arroyo's visit to Basilan 1.52MB / 2 min 24 secs AIFF or WAV sound   IN-DEPTH Abu Sayyaf: Militants in the Philippines Background Interview script Incident map Message board    COUNTRY PROFILE At a glance: Philippines Provided by CountryWatch.com    CNN.com Asia More news from our Asia edition

"He appeared to have died on the night of June 11 after he was hog-tied and separated from the rest of the hostages."

An Abu Sayyaf leader, Abu Sabaya, claimed last week he beheaded 40-year-old Sobero who was taken hostage on May 27 along with 17 Filipinos and an American Christian missionary couple, Martin and Gracia Burnham.

On the weekend three hostages, lawyer Francis Ganzon, 13 year old Kimberly Jao and Muslim cleric Mohaimin Sahi were reunited with family amid speculation their freedom was due to ransoms being paid.

The military is not confirming the ransom reports and nor is the President who is steadfastly sticking to her policy of no ransom and no let up of the military assault.

She said she had no knowledge of the reports.

"We don't know that for a fact," she told reporters.

"While we cannot totally control private transactions, we discourage them and we will not support their efforts by facilitating them."

Arroyo visited Basilan Island, 900 kilometers (560miles) south of Manila, where the separatist kidnappers still hold the hostages, in a effort to boost the morale of residents and the military.

Crowded in by media, Arroyo visited a hospital and spoke to troops wounded in the battle between the Muslim extremists and the army.

During her two-hour visit she spoke to more than a thousand residents, promising their security and economic concerns would be addressed.

She handed out medical aid to the provincial hospital damaged in fighting and awarded scholarship funds to the children of victims caught in skirmishes between Abu Sayyaf guerrillas and military troops.

Backdown difficult

Maintaining a strong line at a press conference in Zamboanga, the President said the government could not compromise saying "we shall not surrender the combat initiative".

"I am under tremendous pressure to back down but I cannot do so at the risk of the higher national interest," Arroyo said.

She said suspending military operations would embolden the Abu Sayyaf.

"Then they will strike again in some unexpected place."

Troopers inspect passengers at a military checkpoint Basilan province.

"We cannot allow this to happen and place our people forever hostage to a band of extremists," she added.

Her tough line makes it increasing difficult for her to back down, given fresh offers by the Abu Sayyaf to negotiate for the release of the hostages.

The Abu Sayyaf delivered a letter to the President's spokesman and went on radio late Monday saying they would be willing to negotiate on condition the military stopped its offensive.

The extremists asked for a new negotiator, the Justice Secretary Hernando Perez, who said he was surprised by the proposal and would consult with the President.

The Abu Sayyaf say they are fighting for Muslim self-rule in the south of the mainly Catholic Philippines but the group's main pursuit has been kidnap for ransom.

Last year, it abducted scores of people, including Western tourists from a resort in nearby Malaysia. Local officials say the group secured about $20 million in ransom.