Manila - Five people including three children drowned when a boat capsized in the southern Philippines, a regional military spokesman said Monday.

Manila - Activists filed on Monday a new impeachment complaint against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the fourth in the past four years.

The complaint was filed before the House of Representatives secretary-general's office by the anti-corruption group Black and White Movement and leftist labour group May First Movement.

The complaint sought the ouster of Arroyo for betrayal of public trust for allegedly allowing the government to enter into a corruption-tainted 330-million dollar national broadband project with Chinese firm ZTE

Manila - Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Monday urged leaders of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), China, Japan and South Korea to discuss measures to cushion the effects of the global financial crisis.

Arroyo said the leaders of the 10-country ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea can meet on the sidelines of the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting to be held next week in Beijing.

Manila - Two communist rebels were killed Monday in a clash with government troops in the southern Philippines, a regional military spokesman said.

Major Armand Rico said the fighting erupted when communist rebels attacked before dawn an army outpost in Pantukan town in Compostela Valley province, 990 kilometres south of Manila.

Rico said one pro-government militiaman was wounded in the fighting that lasted for more than three hours.

Troops recovered three assault rifles, one hand grenade and a radio transceiver left behind by the fleeing rebels.

Zamboanga City, Philippines - One suspected Islamic militant was killed and three were arrested in a shootout with police in the southern Philippines, the military said Saturday.

The fighting erupted in Jolo town on Jolo island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, when police accosted a group of armed men they believed had been planning a kidnapping.

"The armed men appeared to have planned snatching Chinese businessmen, but their attempt was foiled," said Major General Juancho Sabban.

Manila - Philippine shares plunged 8.33 per cent on Friday in a sell-off triggered by continued decline in stock markets around the world.

The Philippine Stock Exchange 30-share composite index lost 190.64 points to close at 2,097.80 from Thursday's finish of 2,288.44.

A total of 2.74 billion shares valued at 3.02 billion pesos (64.25 million dollars) were traded.

Losers swamped gainers, 135 to 7, with 12 issues unchanged.