One kidnapped Philippine reporter released 08:41, June 13, 2008

One of the three Filipino television reporters allegedly kidnapped by militants in the southern was freed on Thursday night, police intelligence said.

Local police source in , province, said Angelo Valderama, a cameraman of national TV network ABS-CBN, was released late Thursday night by militant captors who still hold ABS-CBN female journalist and her cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion as hostage.

The three, together with a university professor, were allegedly kidnapped by violent militant group last Sunday in a township of Sulu.

A reporter of local radio DZMM said he saw ABS-CBN cameraman Angelo Valderrama walking free after 11 p.m. Thursday.

Local media reports said Valderama was brought to a township official's house and the released cameraman reportedly told local officials that his two colleagues "were unharmed" before he was freed.

Sulo police chief Julasirim Kasim told national TV network GMA News that "Valderama looks OK", and he will undergo medical examination on Friday.

It was not clear whether any amount of ransom was paid in exchange for the release but the kidnappers were said to have mentioned a ransom of no less than 20 million pesos (455,000 U.S. dollars at one point of the negotiation with the government.

Earlier Thursday, the Philippine military chief said government forces already have an idea of the location of the hostages and the "proof of life" of them.

Alexander Yano, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said the military suspected Abu Sayyaf was involved.

"It's a plain and simple terrorist act and other details later on can be discovered," Yano said.

The 370-member Abu Sayyaf is a Sulu-based violent rebel group responsible for a series of bloody attacks in the Philippines in the past few years including a 2004 Bay ferry blast which killed more than 100 people.

However, its forces and clout are dwindling rapidly amid intensified government operations in the recent two years.

"Source:Xinhua"