Manila - The Philippines' economic growth slowed to 4.6 per cent in the second quarter of 2008, dragged down by high inflation, the government said Thursday.

Growth in the gross domestic product (GDP) from April to June was down from 8.3 per cent in the same period last year, the National Statistical Coordination Board said.

The gross national product (GNP), which includes income from abroad, such as remittances by overseas Filipinos, grew by 5.5 per cent, compared with 9.8 per cent in 2007, the board said.

"The high inflation regime that prevailed during the second quarter ... took its toll on the Philippine economy," it said in a statement.

Manila - Ten South Korean nationals were killed when their van crashed into a concrete wall while on their way to a vacation in the northern Philippines, police said Thursday.

The South Koreans were on their way to a resort in Bolinao town in Pangasinan province, 225 kilometres north of Manila, when the accident occurred Wednesday.

Senior Inspector Rizaldy Dalope, town police chief, said the van smashed into a concrete wall in the village of Sampaloc.

Two of the victims were students in the northern mountain city of Baguio, while the rest were tourists. At least one was a child.

Iligan City, Philippines - Philippine Air Force planes bombarded Muslim rebel positions Wednesday in a southern province in a bid to flush out a commander who led deadly attacks last week, a military report said.

The bombings were focused on the encampments of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Abdullah Macapaar, also known as Commander Bravo, in Lanao del Norte province, 810 kilometres south of Manila.

"Damage report is still ongoing by troops on the ground," the report said.

Manila - A Philippine Air Force C-130 cargo plane with nine people aboard has been missing and feared to have crashed, officials said Tuesday.

Lieutenant Pedrito Cadungog, air force chief, said the plane took off from the international airport in Davao City, 990 kilometres south of Manila, on Monday evening.

It was bound for the eastern city of Iloilo, where it was supposed to arrive about two hours later.

But Cadungog said the air force lost contact with the plane about 10 minutes after it took off.

Cotabato City, Philippines - At least 100 Muslim rebels were killed in three days of airstrikes and ground assaults by government forces in the southern Philippines, a regional army spokesman said Saturday.

Lieutenant Colonel Julieto Ando said the military offensive would continue against Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) guerrillas in seven towns in Maguindanao province, 
960 kilometres south of Manila.