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  - Five people were killed in floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains in the central Philippines on the weekend, authorities said Monday.

Three people drowned in floods in Dumaguete City in Negros Oriental province, 645 kilometres south of Manila, according to provincial Governor Emilio Macias II.

Macias said two children were also reported killed in a landslide in nearby Valencia town.

Manila  - A leftist farmer-activist was killed Saturday in a town just outside the Philippine capital in the latest of a series of attacks against political activists in the country, a local human rights group said.

Wilfredo Gonzales, 52, was driving a truck along a highway in Calatagan town in Batangas province, 120 kilometres south of Manila, when two motorcycle-riding gunmen fired at the vehicle, according to Karapatan, a Philippine non-governmental organization.

Manila  - Philippine share prices climbed 2.66 per cent Friday, buoyed by overnight gains on Wall Street and hopes of a new massive stimulus package in the United States.

The 30-share composite index of the Philippine Stock Exchange gained 50.41 points to close at 1,942.48.

Turnover was up at 1.16 billion shares worth 2.67 billion pesos (56.80 million dollars).

Gainers led losers 66 to 23 while 40 issues were unchanged.

Manila - The Philippine military has mobilized troops on a southern island for a possible rescue mission for three abducted staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), a spokesman said Thursday.

Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Torres said government troops have cordoned off certain areas on Jolo island, 1,000 kilometres south of Manila, where al-Qaeda-linked Muslim Abu Sayyaf rebels could be holding the three ICRC hostages.

Manila  - The Philippines' inflation rate slowed down to 7.1 per cent in January as prices of food and other basic commodities eased, the government said Thursday.

The January index was down from 8 per cent in December, but up from 4.9 per cent in the same month last year, the National Statistics Office said.

The office said the decline was caused by price decreases in fuel and utilities and slower price increases for food and commodities.