Zamboanga City, Philippines - Two people were killed in a clash between government troops and communist rebels in the southern Philippines, the military said Tuesday.

Major General Jogy Leo Fojas, an army division chief, said the firefight occurred on Monday in Laak town in Compostela Valley province, 930 kilometres south of Manila.

He said the soldiers encountered about 50 communist guerrillas while they were searching for a junior army officer believed abducted by the rebels last week.

Manila  - Unidentified gunmen shot dead a leftist activist as he opened the door of his home in the southern Philippines, a human rights group said Tuesday.

The victim, Rolando Antolihao, was a coordinator for the left-wing Bayan Muna (People First) party in Davao del Norte province, some 990 kilometres south of Manila.

Manila  - Sixteen Muslim separatist rebels were killed in clashes with government troops in the southern Philippines, the military said Tuesday.

Lieutenant Colonel Benedict Arevalo, an army commander, said the military did not suffer any casualties during the two clashes with Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels on Monday.

But MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said the rebel group recorded 23 soldiers dead in the fighting in Wao town in Lanao del Sur province, 810 kilometres south of Manila.

Manila- A bank teller and two security guards were killed Monday in a bank robbery inside a university campus in the Philippines, police said.

The victims had just dropped off money at a bank inside the University of the Philippines campus in the city of Quezon, a suburb of Manila, when the killers struck.

Senior Superintendent Magtanggol Gatdula, city police chief, said the bank has not determined the amount the robbers took.

Manila  - The Philippine government on Monday denied allegations that visiting Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat would seek political asylum for former premier Thaksin Shinawatra after his visa was revoked by the British government.

Somchai arrived for a seven-hour visit to the Philippines on Monday afternoon, triggering rumours of a possible asylum deal for Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman.

Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said there was no truth to the reports and added that should Thaksin make such a request, the Philippines will not approve it.

Iligan City, Philippines  - Philippine troops clashed Monday with Muslim separatist rebels who were allegedly planning to attack towns in a southern province, an army commander said.

The firefight erupted in the town of Wao in Lanao del Sur province, 810 kilometres south of Manila, after intelligence reports warned of a possible attack by up to 200 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels.

Colonel Nicanor Dolojan, an army brigade commander, said government troops launched "clearing operations" against MILF rebels who were "threatening to attack military installations and municipalities of Wao and nearby Bumbaran."