President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's National Security Adviser, Roilo Golez, yesterday said the Philippine government is studying whether to acquire high-tech equipment and firearms from abroad in its fight against the Moro extremists in the south.

The high-tech equipment is being sought from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Israel, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa and Belgium as part of the Army's modernisation programme.

The Government's move came a day after a brother of Abu Sayyaf leader Abu Sabaya, who was arrested in Zamboanga City was yesterday transferred to a naval base in this southern Philippine port city.

Marine commander Brigadier General Orlando Buenaventura said they had to move Al Muhayser Tilao and another Abu Sayyaf member to prevent their comrades from staging an operation to spring the four from custody.

Tilao, 22, and three other members of the rebel group were captured by security forces inside their safehouse in Sulu's capital, Jolo on Friday. The others were left in police custody in Jolo. "The duo have been undergoing tight tactical interrogation before (we release) them to the police for proper filing of charges," Buenaventura said.

The military has set itself a two month self-imposed deadline to crush the threat posed by the southern Philippines-based Abu Sayyaf in November.

Golez said in a radio interview that despite these countries' capability in manufacturing modern military equipment, Filipino soldiers might not have any use for them in the jungles of southern Basilan and Sulu where the Abu Sayyaf operates.