Hector Janjalani, elder brother of Abu Sayyaf leader Khadaffi Janjalani, has denied participation in activities of the militant group that gained notoriety for holding civilians to ransom and beheading Christians and soldiers in southern Basilan province.

Arriving in Manila in handcuffs as he disembarked from a heavily guarded commercial flight from southern Zamboanga City where he had stayed since June to face several kidnapping charges, Hector continued to deny charges that he is a member of the Abu Sayyaf.

"I am just a simple businessman trying to earn a living for my two children," he told reporters upon his arrival at the Manila Domestic Airport around 9am yesterday.

Hector was immediately whisked by police to a van which took him to the high security detention centre in Camp Bagong Diwa in Manila's eastern suburb of Taguig.

"Hector's security is tight, just to be sure that he won't attempt to escape or will not be rescued or freed by his fellow terrorists," Belcie Agustin, the spokesman of the regional Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, said.

Agustin noted that at least 47 militants, including five Abu Sayyaf sub-leaders and their supporters who were captured by the military in Basilan and Sulu provinces, had been left behind, but they are likely to be sent to Manila next month.

He said Hector 's transfer was not announced. "We cannot inform Janjalani about his transfer to Manila because this will give opportunity to the terrorists to plan anything ... even his rescue. But Hector was several times interviewed by TV reporters and knows that he would be transferred to Manila to face trial on kidnapping and other heinous crimes."

Hector was brought to Manila to face charges of planning to conduct a series of bombings in the capital as part of an alleged terror plot by the Abu Sayyaf.