June 10 (Bloomberg) -- A top Philippine news anchorwoman, two cameramen and a university professor were kidnapped by suspected members of the al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group on southern Sulu island, police said.

Ces Drilon of ABS-CBN News and the three others were seized in Maimbung town two days ago, Chief Superintendent Joel Goltiao of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao, told reporters yesterday. The military and the broadcaster requested the media delay reporting the kidnapping until today as they tried to ensure the safety of the abductees.

Drilon, who anchors a late-night news program, and two other employees ``are missing in Sulu'' and ``efforts are underway to find them and bring them home,'' ABS-CBN, which is the nation's largest broadcaster, said today. Maimbung is about 980 kilometers (610 miles) south of Manila.

The Philippine and U.S. governments say Abu Sayyaf is responsible for dozens of bombings and kidnappings in the southern Philippines and link the group to al-Qaeda and the Indonesian terrorist organization Jemaah Islamiyah.