The Philippine military yesterday assured U.S. authorities that the hostage crisis in southern Basilan island will not extend another month but instead, be resolved soon.

In a phone interview, Armed Forces spokesperson Brig. Gen Edilberto Adan said troops are doing their best to free the remaining 21 hostages being held by the Muslim separatist Abu Sayyaf including the American missionary couple.

"We will do our best. The Armed Forces is optimistic that we will end this crisis soon and recover the hostages. We hope to get the hostages in the soonest possible time," Adan said.

Adan emphasised that since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's directive for an intensified crackdown on suspected rebel hideouts in Western Mindanao, more than 100 members and supporters of the extremist group have been nabbed and at least 46 have been formally charged.

"A lot has happened in the past three weeks. We are gaining as evidenced by the arrests. We are neutralising the support structure that keeps the Abu Sayyaf and it (support structure) is getting smaller and smaller," he said.

"It's important to neutralise the support structure in order to get the big fish," Adan stressed. Asked of any recent developments on the conditions of the hostages particularly those Martin and Gracia Burnham Adan replied: "What we only know is that they are still with Abu Sabaya."

Adan had earlier admitted that Sabaya group had tried to escape Basilan toward nearby Sulu province where it will be harder for government troops to flush them out considering its more rugged terrain.

Adan's pronouncements came as U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell reiterated Washington's concern over the prolonged hostage crisis in Basilan.

In particular, Powell reminded Vice President and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teofisto Guirigona about the conditions of the Burnhams, members of the New Tribes Missionary based in Palawan. Another U.S. citizen, Peruvian-American Guillermo Sobero is believed to have been already executed although his remains are yet to be found.

By Raffy Jimenez Philippine Air Force (PAF) officials yesterday tested a remote-controlled spy plane which they plan to deploy on Basilan island where the Abu Sayyaf is holding 21 people captive.

Officials declined to give details of the test flight of the unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV, with a wing span of more than 2 metres and is capable of taking photographs that can penetrate Basilan's thick forest canopy which Abu Sayyaf guerrillas have been using to evade forces.

The Abu Sayyaf is believed to be holding their hostages in Basilan's heartland – the Sampinit complex, a rugged mountain range covered by thick vegetation that stretches hundreds of kilometres across the island. It is a known hideout of the Abu Sayyaf and the larger separatist rebel group the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

A television network ABS-CBN showed fresh video footages of the dark-coloured spy plane being tested at the PAF's Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB) in Zamboanga. The test flight, which was supposed to be secret, started on Tuesday.

Army officials insist the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is yet to acquire from Israel several UAVs, but the test flights of the spy plane had obviously sent out dozens of curious villagers on Tuesday around the tightly guarded air force base to see for themselves how the aircraft flies by remote control.