ZAMBOANGA (Philippines) - A GANG of kidnappers has freed a nine-year-old girl after more than a month in captivity in the southern Philippines, provincial officials said on Thursday.

Nicole Reveche was freed by her captors unharmed shortly before midnight on Wednesday in a remote village on troubled southern Basilan island, the officials said.

Reveche was seized by the gang with suspected links to Islamic militants on Nov 26. They had earlier demanded a ransom of six million pesos (S$182,000)from her parents, the officials said.

'The girl is now with her family and we are glad it's finally over. Many people helped in the negotiations for the safe release of the girl,' said Mr Nick Castro of the provincial Crisis Management Committee, which had negotiated for Reveche's freedom.

On Tuesday, gunmen also freed a four-year old girl, Andrea Diman, in Tuburan town, two days after she was snatched also in Basilan.

Armed Muslim gangs abound in Basilan, which is a stronghold for Al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf militants blamed for the country's worst terrorist attacks.

Police and military officials say the kidnap gangs are being backed by the Abu Sayyaf in their operations.

More than a dozen people were kidnapped and subsequently freed after paying ransom money in Basilan last year, police and military officials have said. -- AFP