MANILA, Jan 19, 2009 (AFP) - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) denied reports Monday that gunmen who kidnapped three of its workers in the restive southern Philippines were demanding five million dollars in ransom.

Vehicles of the International Committee on the Red Cross stand parked at their headquarters in Davao, southern Philippines on Jan. 18 (AFP photo)

"There has been no ransom demand," ICRC spokesman Roland Bigler told AFP, after a local radio station quoting military sources said the kidnappers had relayed the demand.

Swiss national Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipina Mary Jean Lacaba were kidnapped while on a humanitarian mission last week on the island of Jolo.

Senator Richard Gordon, head of the Philippine chapter of the Red Cross, said "all that has been demanded by the kidnappers is that the military halt its manhunt."

He said the kidnappers had relayed the demand to the Red Cross by telephone and added that the hostages were "OK."

Military officials suspect the Al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militant group is behind the abductions, although local officials have also said a former provincial jail guard could be involved.

Gordon said ransom was never discussed in the telephone conversation.

He said he had relayed the information to the government, adding that "the military is aware of what is going on. They are aware of all developments. We (the Red Cross) have no control over the military."

The Abu Sayyaf have kidnapped numerous foreigners and Christian Filipinos on Jolo in recent years, holding them for hefty ransom payments.

It is on the US government's list of foreign terrorist organizations, and is wanted for the kidnapping deaths of two Americans in 2002.

The military over the weekend imposed a news blackout in fear of jeopardizing pursuit operations.

A separate police source meanwhile has said the kidnappers have opened talks with Jolo governor Abdusakur Tan on the release of the hostages.