Davao City, Philippines  - A daughter of a senior communist rebel leader was found dead in the southern Philippines, a day after she was abducted by unidentified gunmen, a police report said Friday.

The body of Rebelyn Pitao, 20, was fished out of a river in Carmen town in Davao Del Norte province, 975 kilometres south of Manila, late Thursday.

Rebelyn was the daughter of Leoncio Pitao, also known as Commander Parago of the New People's Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

She was seized by unidentified gunmen late Wednesday in nearby Davao City.

The victim, a teacher, was riding in a tricycle on the way to her home in the village of Bago Gallera when gunmen aboard a van blocked the tricycle and forcibly dragged her into the vehicle.

Pitao's family blamed the military for Rebelyn's death, saying she had no enemies that would have a motive to abduct and kill her.

A local human rights group also alleged that the military has been targeting Parago's relatives to get to the rebel leader. It noted that in June, a younger brother of Parago was shot dead by suspected government forces in Tagum City, also in Davao Del Norte.

But Major General Raymundo Ferrer, a regional military commander, said soldiers were not involved in the kidnapping and killing of Parago's daughter.

"It is not in the policy of the military to involve the family or children of the rebels into our fight," he said. "Blaming the military for this is just unfair."

"We are open for investigation and we will cooperate to any investigation regarding this," Ferrer added.

The communist National Democratic Front (NDF) blamed the government of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for the kidnapping and subsequent killing of Parago's daughter.

Investigations by local and international human right groups, including the United Nations, have noted the involvement of some soldiers in attacks against leftist activists. (dpa)