ZAMBOANGA - A prosecutor on Wednesday ordered the release of seven people, including three policemen, held over allegations they had helped militants who kidnapped three Red Cross workers.

The seven were freed "because there was not sufficient evidence," against them, said Gov. Abdusakur Tan of Sulu where the kidnappings took place.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Regional chief Senior Superintendent Edwin Diocos said the suspects were turned over to Tan in "good physical condition." The suspects were identified as Senior Police Officer 3 Muhilmi Ismula, Police Officer 2 Marcial Ahajan, Senior Police Officer 1 Sattal Jadjuli, Alano Mohammad, Julhassan Awadi, Hadjirul Bambra and Ibnogajir Hadjirul.

The seven would be returned to their families in Jolo, he said.

"There is no direct evidence linking them to the kidnapping," said the head of the police investigation division Senior Superintendent Edwin Diocos.

The suspects were picked up in Jolo last week with 16 other people for allegedly supporting Abu Sayyaf extremists holding International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) workers, Swiss national Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni and a Filipina co-worker.

The three were seized on January 15 while on a humanitarian mission in Jolo.

The Filipina, Mary Jean Lacaba, was released on April 2 but the Abu Sayyaf continues to hold the two foreigners and have warned they could behead one of them unless government forces pull back.

Diocos said they would continue to look for more evidence against the seven freed suspects, adding that "the prosecutor told us that the case can be revived as soon as they establish probable cause."

"The case does not end here," he said.

Police earlier said that witnesses had identified the seven as aiding the kidnappers. All seven are related to Abu Sayyaf members by blood or marriage.

Tan, who heads a special committee working to free the hostages, reiterated that police and military forces would not withdraw from their positions as demanded by the kidnappers.

"There is a standoff at the moment," he said without elaborating.

Tan said he was meeting in Zamboanga City with Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno to discuss how to resolve the crisis, but would not reveal details.

The Abu Sayyaf have been blamed for the worst terror attacks in Philippine history and have been linked by intelligence agencies to the Al-Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden.

Abu Sayyaf militants have kidnapped several other westerners over the past decade, many of whom, according to the Philippines military, were ransomed off for millions of dollars.

They also murdered an American hostage, Guillermo Sobero, in 2001, while a second American, Christian missionary Martin Burnham, was killed in a military attack the following year that led to the rescue of his wife Gracia. With a report from QUEENIE CASIMIRO, ABS-CBN Zamboanga