The Philippine military said today it had recovered the body of an elderly German hostage who was beheaded by Islamic militants last week.<br/><br/>The Abu Sayyaf, a kidnap-for-ransom network in the southern Philippines that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, killed Jurgen Kantner, 70, after its demands for 30 million pesos (USD 600,000) were not met.'<br/><br/>Military officials said marines found Kantner's body today in the militants' remote island stronghold of Sulu, more than 1,000 kilometres south of Manila.'<br/><br/>Kantner's vessel, the Rockall, was found drifting on November 7 off the southern Philippines with the body of his female companion, Sabine Merz, who had been shot. The Abu Sayyaf claimed the kidnapping.<br/>'<br/>Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte apologised on Tuesday for failing to save Kantner and said the military had stepped up operations against the militants.