Manila  - Three communist rebels were killed Thursday in a pre-dawn clash with government troops in a northern Philippine province, an army spokesman said.

Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Torres said one soldier was also wounded in the firefight in the village of Galintuha in Maria Aurora town in Aurora province, 150 kilometres north-east of Manila.

Manila - The Philippine Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that an American soldier convicted of rape in 2006 should be detained in a local facility instead of the US embassy, where he has been staying since his conviction.

The high tribunal, voting 9-4, ordered the Department of Foreign Affairs to negotiate for the transfer of US Marine Lance Corporal Daniel Smith, 23, to a detention facility that is under the control of Philippine authorities.

Manila - The Philippine military ruled out force for the time being to rescue three staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) being held captive by Muslim militants on a southern island, an armed forces spokesman said Wednesday.

Brigadier General Gaudencio Pangilinan said the aim of the military was to rescue Swiss Andreas Notter, Italian Eugenio Vagni and Filipino Mary Jean Lacaba "without any violence."

Manila  - More than 100 dolphins were beached Tuesday in a northern Philippine town and at least three of them were already dead, a local official said.

The dolphins crowded the sea off Pilar town in Bataan province, 75 kilometres north-west of Manila, according to provincial Governor Enrique Garcia.

Garcia said fishermen in the area were at a loss on what to do with the mammals.

He added that his office has already called up public and private agencies that can help save the dolphins.

Zamboanga City, Philippines - Ten people were wounded when suspected Muslim militants fired mortars near a military camp on a southern Philippine island where government troops clashed with the kidnappers of three Red Cross staff, a marine commander said Tuesday.

Major General Juancho Sabban said the attack occurred late Monday as government troops clashed with Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebels holding captive three employees of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Jolo island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila.

Manila - The European Union on Monday underscored the need to incorporate the protection and promotion of human rights into an agreement being negotiated with the Philippines, which seeks to expand political, security and economic cooperation.

James Moran, the EU's director for Asia and chief EU negotiator for the Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the Philippines, stressed that human rights is one of the cornerstones of the pact.

"Respect of human rights and the collective preservation of peace and security are the very basis for improving the life of our peoples," he said at the start of two-day negotiations in Manila. "This is one of the objectives of the PCA."