Zamboanga City, Philippines - A Philippine court on Wednesday ordered the release of seven people arrested for allegedly providing support to Muslim militants holding captive two European Red Cross workers.

The suspects - three police officers, two village captains and two alleged members of the Abu Sayyaf rebel group - were freed two days after police filed criminal charges of kidnapping for ransom and illegal detention against them.

They were arrested on Jolo island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, last week on suspicion of being supporters of al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf rebels, Governor Abdusakur Tan said.

Tan said the court in nearby Zamboanga City, where the charges were filed, ruled that the police complaints against the seven suspects "lacked probable cause and sufficient evidence."

"The seven will be returned to their families," he said.

Police alleged that the seven suspects were "conspirators" and provided logistical support in the kidnappings of Red Cross workers Andreas Notter of Switzerland, Eugenio Vagni of Italy and Mary Jean Lacaba of the Philippines on January 15.

The Abu Sayyaf rebels freed Lacaba April 2 after 78 days in captivity. Authorities denied rumours that 5.5 million pesos (114,580 dollars) in ransom was paid to the guerrillas for her release.

The kidnappers have threatened to kill the remaining hostages if government forces do not withdraw from a large area of Jolo.

Authorities have rejected the demand but stressed that they were willing to negotiate a compromise to ensure that none of the hostages were harmed.

Abu Sayyaf rebels have been blamed for some of the worst terrorist attacks and high-profile kidnappings in the Philippines. They have beheaded hostages, including an American tourist abducted in 2001, when authorities failed to meet their demands.(dpa)