The Philippine military on Monday stepped up efforts to find the body of a German hostage allegedly beheaded by Islamist militants after a ransom was not paid.

Authorities have received intelligence reports that the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group executed the 70-year-old captive on Sunday, 30 minutes after a deadline for the payment of 30 million pesos (600,000 dollars) lapsed at 3 pm (0700 GMT).

But they are yet to receive confirmation of the beheading, said Colonel Edgard Arevalo, a spokesman for the military.

‘We have sought the help of local governments and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) in looking for the body of the latest victim of the Abu Sayyaf,’ he said.

‘Until we find the body of the victim, we still hold on to the hope (that he is still alive) and we will continue to conduct combat operations,’ he added.

The MNLF is a rebel group that signed a peace agreement with the government in 1996 and is based on the island of Jolo, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila.

According to intelligence reports, the beheading of the German national took place in a village in the town of Indanan on Jolo.

The captive was seized on November 5 from his yacht off the southern Philippines. The militants shot dead his 59-year-old wife after she fought back. Her body was left in the boat.

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