Zamboanga City, Philippines  - Three public school teachers were seized by unidentified gunmen in the southern Philippines, the latest in a string of kidnapping in the area, a military spokeswoman said Saturday.

First Lieutenant Esteffani Cacho said the teachers were riding a motorized boat when gunmen in another boat seized them off Naga town in Zamboanga Sibugay province, 990 kilometres south of Manila, Friday afternoon.

"The navy has already deployed ships for possible maritime interjection," she said.

In January, Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebels also seized three teachers off Zamboanga City. The al-Qaeda-linked guerrillas are still holding those three captive in nearby Basilan province and demanding 6 million dollars (123,711 dollars) in ransom.

Another band of Abu Sayyaf rebels are holding captive three personnel of the International Committee of the Red Cross in nearby Jolo island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila.

The Red Cross workers - Swiss Andreas Notter, Itallian Eugenio Vagni and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba - had just visited a project at the Sulu provincial jail when they were seized by the rebels on January 15.

The Abu Sayyaf has reportedly demanded 50 million pesos in ransom.

The group has been blamed for some of the worst terrorist attacks and high-profile kidnappings in the Philippines.

In 2000, the Abu Sayyaf abducted 21 European tourists and Asian workers from a Malaysian resort island and brought them to Jolo. The hostages were freed months later after payments of millions of dollars in ransom.

The following year, a separate band of Abu Sayyaf rebels seized 17 Filipino vacationers and three US tourists from a western Philippine resort. Most of the hostages were later rescued or ransomed off, but two of the Americans were killed. (dpa)