Andreas Lorenz, 48, a Beijing-based writer for German news magazine Der Spiegel, was released after 26 days in captivity in the jungles of Jolo island, Sulu province.

"I am happy to be out. They treated me well, but it could have been worse if I had stayed longer," Lorenz told Deutsche Presse-Agentur Dpa. "I'm not coming back."

The Abu Sayyaf also freed Danny Cuarteros, one of 13 Jesus Miracle Crusade evangelists who were taken captive after paying $3,500 and 35 sacks of rice to the rebels to hold 40 days of fasting and prayer for the hostages.

Cuarteros, spokesman for the Jesus Miracle Crusade, said he was escorted by the extremists to a highway in Talipao town, where he rode a passenger jeepney to downtown Jolo.

"The rebels allowed me to go down to tell everyone that our leader, Brother Wilde Almeda, and other members will soon come out of the jungles with the other hostages," he told DPA. "Our mission has succeeded."

Lorenz said he did not know the identities of his captors, who have been identified by police as members of a faction of the extremist Abu Sayyaf group holding dozens of other mostly foreign hostages since April.

Lorenz was freed in the remote village of Danan in Patikul town and immediately transported in a van to the residence of Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan, where he was met by his foreign editor Olaf Ihlau and colleague Klaus Brinkbaeumer.

"I am happy we got him already," Tan told DPA. "But I'll be happier if all hostages are released because that means less trouble."

Tan said no ransom was paid for Lorenz's release, but sources revealed at least one million dollars was put up.

Bearded and wearing a soiled t-shirt and denim pants, Lorenz used a satellite phone to call his wife, who was waiting for his release in nearby Zamboanga City, and then took a shower.

He was flown to Zamboanga City aboard a chartered Beechcraft plane, accompanied by Tan, Ihlau and Brinkbaeumer.

"We are happy, but on the other hand it's a pity because other journalists are being abducted here," Ihlau said. "We hope they would be freed soon."

Lorenz was seized on July 2 while meeting contacts with Abu Sayyaf rebels who abducted a group of 21 German, French, Finnish, South African, Lebanese, and Malaysian hostages from the Malaysian diving island resort of Sipadan on April 23.

The rebels also seized three French journalists on July 9, while a separate Abu Sayyaf faction abducted two news staff of the country's biggest media organization on July 24.

On July 1, Cuarterors, Almeda and 11 other evangelists trekked to the Abu Sayyaf hideout in hopes of convincing the rebels to free the hostages taken from Sipadan. They were declared captive nine days later for violating Islam.

The extremists earlier freed six Malaysians and an ailing German woman, 56-year-old Renate Wallert. They, however, called off plans to release three remaining Malaysians earlier this week.

Sources said the rebels have already collected more than $4.2 million for the seven freed hostages. They have demanded an additional P45 million ($1.02 million) ransom for the three Malaysians.

New emissary

JOLO (DPA) - A new emissary was dispatched on Thursday to hasten negotiations for the release of dozens of hostages held by Islamic extremists in the southern Philippines, the chief government negotiator said.

Senior presidential adviser Roberto Aventajado said the go-between is a relative of Abu Sayyaf commander Galib Andang, known as Robot, who holds most of the hostages in Jolo island, Sulu province, 1,000 kilometers south of Manila.

"I think things would move faster again in so far as the negotiations are concerned," Aventajado said in a television interview in Manila.