Zamboanga City, Philippines - Muslim militants Tuesday freed three schoolteachers after four months in captivity in the southern Philippines, a rebel negotiator said.

The three teachers were abducted by Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebels on January 23 at sea off Zamboanga City and held captive in the jungle of nearby Basilan province, 900 kilometres south of Manila.

Hadji Hassan Lamla, an official of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) who helped negotiate the release, said the teachers were freed before noon in Ajul town in Basilan.

Lamla identified the freed teachers as Freires Quizon, Raphael Mayonado and Jeanette Delos Reyes.

It was not clear if money changed hands for the release.

Abu Sayyaf rebels are still holding captive three schoolteachers, a Sri Lankan peace advocate and a lending firm employee in the jungles of Basilan.

A separate group of Abu Sayyaf guerrillas has been holding captive an Italian Red Cross worker on the nearby island of Jolo since January 15. Two other Red Cross workers were freed in April. (dpa)