KOTA KINABALU, Oct 26 (Bernama) -- The three Malaysian hostages rescued by the Philippine Armed Forces from captivity in Jolo, Southern Philippines yesterday, will be flown to Sabah tomorrow.

Malaysia's Consul-General in Davao, Mahalil Baharam, said the three hostages -- Pandanan Semporna Island Resort Manager Mohamad Noh Sulaiman, 43, diver Joseph Jongkinoh, 40, and kontraktor Kan Wei Chong, 35 -- would leave for Manila this evening and from there would fly to Kota Kinabalu.

"All three are in good health and have undergone medical check-up at the Philippine Southern Command Military Hospital in Zamboanga City," he said when contacted in Davao, Thursday.

Mahalil said all three were officially handed over by President Joseph Estrada's Government to the Malaysian Government at a ceremony at Davao at 9.30am today.

Malaysia's Ambassador to the Philippines Arshad M. Hussein accepted the three Malaysians on behalf of the Malaysian Government of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

Mahalil said after the handing over ceremony, the three ex-hostages were taken to his house for lunch.

"They are happy and are now in high spirits....and they cannot wait to see their families once more," he said.

He said he was not certain whether the plane carrying them from Manila would stop in Kota Kinabalu or Kuala Lumpur as the arrangements were being made by the Malaysian embassy in Manila.

The three were abducted by a group of armed men led by Titing Aggah Noman from Pulau Pandanan on Sept 10 and taken to Jolo.

The Pandanan abduction was the second after the kidnapping of 21 people including nine Malaysians from Pulau Sipadan on April 23.

All the hostages except for a Filipino had been freed in stages.

Apart from the kidnappings from Sipadan and Pandanan, armed groups from Jolo had also been involved in several other abductions around Jolo island with the victims including journalists, an American national and 13 Filipino nationals.

These kidnappings persuaded the Philippine Armed forces to launch an offensive against the armed separatists in Jolo.

The military operation succeeded in freeing the three Malaysians, two French TV crew members and 12 Filipino nationals.

With the latest developments, the people still being held captive are American national Jeffrey Schilling and Filipino Roland Ullah.