The Abu Sayyaf Group have brought their three American hostages to Jolo, southern Philippines, and the group want to negotiate for their release "in a different manner," according to a reliable source.

American Christian missionaries, Martin and Gracia Burnham, have been living in the Philippines for 15 years, while California-based Peruvian Guillermo Sobero has a Filipino girlfriend, Maria Fe Rosadeno, who was also kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf from Palawan, south-western Philippines, on May 27.

The Americans will not be paying ransom out of principle, said the source, adding that the U.S. and Philippine governments have made statements against the payment of ransom and "this will surely be followed to the letter, the reason why the Abu Sayyaf Group has decided to segregate them," commented the same source.

At the same time, Armed Force spokesman, Brig. Gen. Edilberto Adan, earlier said the government has strong evidence to show that Sobero is already dead. Sobero wounded his right foot during a clash between the Abu Sayyaf and the military in Lamitan, Basilan, on June 2. Since he was diabetic, it would not have healed immediately, said Brig. Gen. Adan.

"Despite the antibiotic administered to him by the nurses in Lamitan, his wound has not healed. He was also under self-medication" before being abducted. But he added the military is still checking out if the Abu Sayyaf Group has beheaded Sobero.

"We have every reason to believe that the statement of Mr. (Francis) Ganzon is correct," said Brig. Gen. Adan, referring to the statement of the recently-freed hostage that he had seen Sabaya on June 11 being hog-tied because he could not walk.

"We have no independent confirmation because his body has not been found," the general told reporters in Manila. "Mr Ganzon said that they kept going up, the vegetation is very dense, sometimes they had to hold onto ropes and go down very steep ravines. The terrain is muddy."

To add to the confusion, there was also a report that Sobero had called up a radio station in the U.S. saying he was alive, but his neighbours in Cathedral City took away the yellow ribbons they had placed on their trees because he was found to be cheating on his wife.

U.S. embassy spokesman Michael Anderson said there was no evidence of Sobero's claimed death but "we remain gravely concerned about Mr. Sobero's fate."