Maj Filemon Tan said in Manila that the severed head of the Filipino victim, identified as Patrick Jhames Almodavar, was found on Wednesday in a village on Jolo Island, 1,000 km south of Manila.

Tan said that the head was wrapped in a plastic bag and left alongside a road.

Almodavar was abducted by members of the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group on July 16 in the town of Jolo, and the kidnappers were demanding 22,000 dollars as a ransom.

Last week, the militants released a video of Almodavar appealing for help.

Abu Sayyaf, which has been blamed for some of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the Philippines, beheaded two Canadian hostages in April and June after no ransom was paid.

The militants are also suspected of holding others captive on Jolo Island including five Malaysians, a Norwegian, a Dutchman and several Filipinos.

President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the military to crush Abu Sayyaf and also warned that the group could be a source of recruitment for the Islamic State extremist group.