Manila  - The Philippine Supreme Court has set aside a fund to reward people who can provide information leading to the capture and conviction of killers and attackers of Filipino judges, a court official said Thursday.

Justice Presbitero Velasco, chairman of the Supreme Court's committee on security, said the high tribunal has approved a one-million peso (23,833-dollar) fund financed by from the Philippine Judges Foundation.

Under the programme, tipsters will be awarded 100,000 pesos for information leading to the identity of suspects in the killing or attacks on judges. Another 100,000 pesos will be given upon conviction.

The reward fund was set up amid unabated attacks on members of the judiciary.

Manila - Pirates have freed 17 Filipino sailors after more than two months in captivity off Somalia, the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.

The Filipinos were kidnapped in the Gulf of Aden on September 21 when heavily armed Somali pirates hijacked the Greek cargo ship MV Captain Stefanos.

Foreign Undersecretary Esteban Conejos said the sailors were "safe and in good health" when they were freed on Monday evening. They were headed to Italy and then to Greece, where they would be met by the ship's owners.

"We are coordinating with the owners on their repatriation (to the Philippines)," Conejos said.

Cotabato City, Philippines - Thirteen Muslim separatist rebels and one soldier were killed in a firefight in the southern Philippines on Tuesday, the military said.

Eight soldiers were also wounded in the clash in Datu Saudi Ampatuan town in Maguindanao province, 930 kilometres south of Manila, brigade commander Colonel Marlou Salazar said.

The four-hour fight began when Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels opened fire at the soldiers who were sent to verify reports of gunmen harassing residents in the town, he said.

Manila  - Hundreds of fans packed a local church in the Philippine capital on Wednesday when boxing icon Manny Pacquiao heard a thanksgiving mass after an upset win against Mexican-American legend Oscar De la Hoya on the weekend.

Pacquiao arrived in Manila before dawn on Wednesday, four days after forcing to submission the 35-year-old De la Hoya, known as the Golden Boy of American boxing, to quit in the eighth of their 12-round fight in Las Vegas on Saturday.

"I hope Manny would give us a few hundred pesos," said 17-year-old Marlon Tapia, who was among hundreds who trooped to Quiapo Church in downtown Manila to welcome Pacquiao. "He is my idol. He is the greatest."

Manila  - A Philippine human rights organization on Tuesday decried unabated political killings and other attacks against leftist activists in the country despite the government's assurances to end the atrocities.

In its annual human rights report, Karapatan said the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had failed to fulfill its promises to the international community that it would protect human rights in the country.

Zamboanga City, Philippines  - Suspected Muslim militants freed seven construction workers they seized a week ago on a southern Philippine island, a regional military spokeswoman said Tuesday.

First Lieutenant Esteffani Cacho said the victims were released unharmed on Monday in Tuburan town in Basilan province, 900 kilometres south of Manila.

Cacho said the hostages were turned over to the emissaries of Lamitan town Mayor Roderick Furigay, who negotiated for their release.

No ransom was paid for the release of the hostages who were undergoing debriefing in a military camp in Basilan, according to Cacho.

The construction workers were seized on December 2 while hauling beach sand in the town of Mohammad Ajul.