Philippines hostage believed dead

The army say they are searching for Mr Sobero's body

Philippine military officials have said they believe Guillermo Sobero, a 40-year-old American taken hostage by Muslim guerrillas, has died.

We will continue our strategy of continuous pressure - we will not surrender the combat initiative

President Gloria Arroyo

The Abu Sayyaf guerrillas, who are holding two other American and more than 20 Filipino hostages on the southern island of Basilan, said last week they had beheaded Sobero.

But an army spokesman said Mr Sobero may have died from an infection to a wound in his right foot.

Guillermo Sobero: The search goes on for his body

Both the army and Philippines President Gloria Arroyo said there was no confirmation of Mr Sobrero's death.

"We have no knowledge yet for a fact," President Arroyo said.

Rebel offer

Rebel leader Abu Sabaya offered on Monday to release some of the hostages but imposed two conditions.

Speaking on the Radio Mindanao Network, he asked for Justice Secretary Hernando Perez to act as a negotiator and for the government to call off its search for his guerrillas.

President Arroyo backed the military offensive in Basilan

But President Arroyo, who went to Basilan on Monday to inspect the military operations there, said the offensive against the rebels would continue until they were destroyed.

"Our hope is to rescue all the captives. We will not give up at any time," she said.

She denied reports that a ransom had been paid for two hostages freed on Saturday.

Searching for body

Army spokesman Brigadier-General Edilberto Adan said that various groups on Basilan were being asked to help find the corpse of Guillermo Sobero.

Two other Americans are still held by the rebels

General Adan said that the military had come to the conclusion that Sobero had died after assessing information provided by Francis Ganzon, an Abu Sayyaf hostage who escaped earlier this month.

"[Sobero] appeared to have died on the night of 11 June after he was hog-tied and separated from the rest of the hostages," General Adan said.

'Died of infection'

"Before this, he was suffering from a wound in his right foot. It appears he was diabetic because the nurses, after administering antibiotics, the wound did not heal."

Arroyo pressed the flesh and offered backing to the people of Lamitan

The general said Sobero had been injecting himself with insulin during his captivity, but then ran out of medicine and started shaking.

"We do not know if he was executed or died of infection," General Adan said.

President Arroyo has deployed thousands of troops on Basilan and has pledged to cleanse the area of Abu Sayyaf rebels.

The government has also announced that the armed forces will arm and train civilian militias to help crush the rebels.