MANILA - An Irish priest kidnapped in the southern Philippines a month ago was freed unharmed on Thursday, the military and members of a Muslim rebel group said.

They said Michael Sinnott, a 78-year-old Columban priest who was snatched from the garden of a church on Oct 11, was handed over to police and government officials in the city of Zamboanga in the southern region of Mindanao shortly before dawn.

"He's very weak and appeared disoriented," Major-General Ben Dolorfino told reporters, adding the priest was being given a medical check-up at an army base. He was later to be flown by an army plane to the capital Manila.

No ransom was paid for Sinnott's release, Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin said in a statement, thanking the U.S. and European governments and the International Committee of the Red Cross for helping in the efforts to free the priest.

"The release of Father Michael represents the successful conclusion of a major diplomatic effort by the Irish and Philippine governments," Martin said in a statement.

"As in previous kidnaps, no ransom was paid by the Irish Government. To do so would only have jeopardised the vital work of aid workers and missionaries around the world - it would also place other Irish citizens in danger."

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest Muslim rebel group in the Philippines, has been helping in efforts to secure the release of the priest. Government officials have said he was kidnapped by armed men owing allegiance to a local rebel commander.The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of $2 million.