(UPDATE) Suspected leftist rebels raid Davao town mayor's home

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Xinhua) - Suspected members of leftist rebel group New People's Army (NPA) raided the house of a town mayor in the southern Philippines yesterday, a police official said today.

Chief Inspector Jed Clamor, regional police office spokesman, said some 60 NPA guerrillas swooped down on the residence of Jimmy Joyce, mayor of the coastal town of Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental province.

Clamor told Xinhua via text message that the mayor and his family were not around when the NPA guerrillas raided their home in Culaman village. He said no shot was fired and no one was hurt in the incident.

"At least 11 shotguns were carted away by (the NPA rebels) who fled towards the direction of Culaman Small (village)," he said.

Clamor said police and soldiers from the Philippine Army's 73rd Infantry Battalion are now pursuing the leftist rebels.

Police said the NPA guerrillas have stepped up attacks against government security forces and civilian targets in southern Philippines recently in an attempt to "project strength and amass more weapons."