Members of Pentagon, a lost command of the Moro Islamic Liber-ation Front (MILF), released Chinese hostage Zhang Shoong to MILF emissaries on Friday.

Zhang was handed over to Libyan Ambassador Salem Adam in the town of Pikit, Cotabato. Accompanying Adam was Cota-bato City Mayor Muslim Sema.

Adam, one of those who negotiated for the release, said no ransom was paid.

"The Libyan Embassy will provide humanitarian assistance if they surrender to the government and form themselves into a cooperative," Adam explained.

Libya has assisted in the release of more than 40 hostages kidnapped by another group, the Abu Sayyaf, in Sipadan, Malaysia and Jolo between April and August last year.

Zhang's release was also negotiated and facilitated after the Philippines and MILF peace negotiators agreed in Kuala Lumpur to strengthen their on-off ceasefire accord earlier forged in 1997, said MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu. MILF negotiator Murad Ibrahim also played an important part in Zhang's release, he added.

Adds Barbara Mae Dacanay, Our Manila Bureau Chief: Zhang was brought to Manila's presidential palace and presented to Vice President Teofisto Guingona, be-fore he could go home to China.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who is attending the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders summit in Shanghai, ex-pressed her thanks to the MILF, the Libyan Embassy, peace process adviser Eduardo Ermita, former mayor Ibrahim Paglas and Philip-pine National Police deputy director Hermogenes Ebdane, for Zhang's release.

"I share his family's joy even as I recall with sadness that his brother and one of his colleagues were slain in an earlier encounter," she said. "I am pleased that this event, isolated as it may be, takes place as we move into the first day of the Apec leaders summit in Shanghai."

Arroyo said Zhang's release is important to warm and cordial relations with China.

Arroyo is scheduled to make a state visit to Beijing at the end of October.

"I assured President Jiang our government will provide full security measures to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals who are involved in our infrastructure projects," Arroyo said.

Zhang was kidnapped when he was paying ransom money for his brother Zhang Xhong Quiang.

Zhang is the last of five hostages taken by Pentagon from the Japan-funded Malmar irrigation programme in North Cotabato in August.