The Philippine military said this morning it believed Mr Guillermo Sobero, a 40-year-old American held by Muslim guerrillas, had been killed, but a spokesman added that no body had been found.
Brigadier-General Edilberto Adan said that various groups on the southern island of Basilan, where Sobero was being held with two other Americans and a couple of dozen Filipino hostages, were being asked to help find the body.
"We have every reason to believe that statement of Mr Ganzon," Brig-Gen Adan said, when asked by reporters about a statement by freed hostage Mr Francis Ganzon that Mr Sobero was dead.
"We have no independent confirmation because his body has not been found," he added. Mr Ganzon walked free on Saturday along with two other hostages.
The Abu Sayyaf guerrillas kidnapped three Americans and 17 Filipinos from a beach resort on May 27th. The kidnappers said last week they had beheaded Mr Sobero, from Corona, California.
The other two Americans, a missionary couple from Wichita, Kansas, Mrs Gracia and Mr Martin Burnham, are still in captivity but believed to be alive. Brig-Gen Adan said that Mr Martin Burnham had shrapnel wounds on is back.