The kidnappers of the Australian snatched in the southern Philippines a few weeks before Christmas are demanding ransom for his freedom, police officials said.

Authorities from Zamboanga Sibugay said pictures of Warren Richard Rodwell were sent to his wife days before Christmas along with a ransom note demanding 1 million in local currency, or roughly $23,000.

Rodwell, according to Associated Press, was assessed by authorities in 'healthy' condition despite an apparent injury on his hand as shown by one of the pictures, which local police officials said could have been caused by gunshot when he was abducted on Dec. 5.

Rodwell's wife, a Filipina, pleaded for authorities to help secure her husband's freedom as she admitted that coming up with the money demanded by kidnappers would be next to impossible.

She informed police officials, AP said, that she met Rodwell through the Internet and they only got married June last year.

The new couple, authorities said, do not have sufficient funds to meet the kidnappers' demands.

Police said that six armed men abducted the 53-year-old Rodwell, who Australian officials said was a former university teacher in Shanghai before settling in southern Philippines.

While no group has officially acknowledged responsibility for Rodwell's kidnapping, local police officials had suggested that Islamic militants operating in the area could be the culprits.

The most likely suspect, local authorities said, was the Abu Sayyaf group, which international intelligence officials believe maintains ties with al-Qaida and said to be operating in the south of the country with the blessings of Muslim separatist groups waging war with Manila.

The Abu Sayyaf has been blamed for a number of kidnappings in recent years, with some of their victims killed by beheadings for failure of their families to provide ransom, local officials said.

The Philippine government, AP said, has initiated communications with leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front for its help in pinpointing the current location of Rodwell, who authorities said is believed to be held by his captors near or around the rebel strongholds.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard earlier ordered the formation of a task force to coordinate with local authorities in investigating Rodwell's kidnapping and securing his freedom.