Leftist rebels kill 1, injure 2 cops in Mountain Province

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Leftist rebels killed one policeman, injured two others and took an undetermined number of policemen as hostages in Mountain Province today, local media reported.

Around 100 policemen were doing morning exercise when the New People's Army (NPA) rebels attacked them at 5:45 a.m. Friday, the Philippine News Agency quoted Dave Limmong, public information officer of the Police Regional Office Cordillera (PROCOR) as saying.  

"A PROCOR contingent force is now in the area to secure the possible escape routes of the enemy and to possibly determine and free the hostages," he said.

he policemen were unarmed and were jogging when the heavily-armed rebels attacked them, he added.

The NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), has been waging a guerrilla campaign in the countryside for four decades. Military estimates the NPA strength at more than 4, 000 men scattered in more than 60 guerrilla fronts throughout the country.

The Philippine government said recently that peace talks with the rebels had collapsed, and the government is mulling on a new approach to pursue talks with the CPP-NDF (National Democratic Front)-NPA to peacefully resolve the armed conflict.