(CNN)In a jarring video that surfaced this week, several foreigners plead for their countries to pay ransom to the Abu Sayyaf Islamist group to secure their release -- or else, they say, they'll be killed in a month.

Two men speaking on the video said they were hostages and Canadian citizens. One said he was "being held by Abu Sayyaf for ransom," although he didn't know how much.

"I appeal for my life," the other said, while a militant held a large knife to his neck with one hand and clenched his chin with the other. "... Please do what's needed to meet their demands within one month or they will kill me, and they will execute us."

The Canadian government said later that it knew about the video, but wouldn't elaborate further.

"The government of Canada will not comment or release any information which may compromise ongoing efforts or endanger the safety of Canadian citizens," the brief statement said.

CNN could not independently verify the authenticity of the video, or the legitimacy of the hostage-takers' claims.

These included words from one masked man -- surrounded by others who, like him, were armed -- who urged other countries to "stop procrastinating," giving them until April 8 to act.

If they don't, he said, "I'll do something terrible against these captives."

The two purported Canadians were among three male hostages who spoke English on the latest video, which was originally posted to Facebook. Another apparent hostage, a woman, is also visible.


September abduction
These appear to be the same four people (three foreign men and one Filipina woman) abducted the evening of September 21 at the Oceanview Resort on Samal Island, which lies off the coast of the major southern island of Mindanao, as reported by the official Philippines News Agency.

This part of the southern Philippines is home for Abu Sayyaf, an Islamist militant group that's been linked to al Qaeda. The separatist group has at times preyed on foreigners in recent years, taking them hostage to further its aims.

A few weeks after the September abduction, video came out showing four hostages surrounded by masked, heavily armed militants and banners that appear to be ISIS flags, or jihadist flags which are very similar in appearance to the infamous black-and-white standard.

John Ridsdel: Hostage from Canada killed in Philippines

A Canadian man held captive by Islamist militants for months in the Philippines has been killed.

John Ridsdel, 68, was taken from a tourist resort along with three others by the Abu Sayyaf group in September last year.
Confirming the death, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called it "an act of coldblooded murder".



On Monday a severed head was found on a remote Philippine island, hours after an Abu Sayyaf ransom deadline expired.
The Philippine army has not confirmed if it belonged to one of the captives.

Mr Ridsdel was kidnapped from a marina near the city of Davao along with another Canadian, Robert Hall; a Norwegian, Kjartan Sekkingstad; and a Philippine woman, Mr Hall's girlfriend, Marites Flor.

They were taken 500km (300 miles) to the island of Jolo. Abu Sayyaf released a video of the group in November, demanding $80m (£55m) for their release.
Map showing Jolo and Davao

Mr Ridsdel later warned that he was due to be killed if no ransom was paid.
Several hours after the deadline, a severed head was found in a street on Jolo. The Philippine authorities said it belonged to a foreign man but it has not yet been formally identified.

"It's hard," a friend of Mr Ridsdel, Bob Rae, told CBC News. "It's just very hard. I've been involved behind the scenes for the last six months trying to find a solution and it's been very painful."
A former mining executive, Mr Ridsdel is described by Canadian media as semi-retired.
He also worked as a journalist.
Offering his condolences, Mr Trudeau gave few details, saying he would not compromise the safety of the other captives.
Abu Sayyaf was set up in the 1990s with funding from al-Qaeda, and is fighting for an independent Islamic province in the Philippines.

One of its commanders recently pledged allegiance to so-called Islamic State. The group is also holding several other foreigners.
Eighteen Philippine soldiers were killed in clashes with the militants on Basilan island near Jolo island earlier this month.

General Mackevili wrote:I feel lucky to have made it out alive. Twice.