MANILA, (ABS-CBN) - Seventeen mostly foreign hostages being held by Muslim rebels in Jolo could be freed within two weeks under a broad agreement being negotiated with the guerrillas, a government official said Monday.

Chief government negotiator Robert Aventajado said the Abu Sayyaf commander holding the hostages, Ghalib "Robot'' Andang, "is willing to free all the hostages if this "mother agreement" can be worked out.''

The agreement would cover a number of the Abu Sayyaf rebels' demands, including development projects for impoverished Jolo island in the southern Philippines, where the hostages are being held.

The captives include 14 people abducted on April 23 from Malaysia's Sipadan diving resort and three French television journalists seized July 9 while covering the hostage crisis.

They consist of six French citizens, three Malaysians, two Germans, two Finns, two South Africans and two Filipinos. The rebels are also holding 12 Filipino members of a Christian evangelical group who would not be covered by the agreement, Aventajado said.