Davao City, Philippines  - A pro-government militiaman was killed in a clash with communist rebels in the southern Philippines, an army spokeswoman said Monday.

Captain Ma. Rosa Cristina Manuel said the fighting erupted Sunday when troops encountered an undetermined number of guerrillas in Baganga town in Davao Oriental province, 1,005 kilometres south of Manila.

Manuel said more troops have been dispatched to the area to conduct pursuit operations.

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.

Davao City, Philippines  - Seven suspected Muslim separatist rebels were killed in a clash with police officers in the southern Philippines, police said Wednesday.

The clash occurred in the village of Napnapan in Pnatukan town, Compostela Valley province, 930 kilometres south of Manila, on Tuesday.

Senior Superintendent Francisco Villaroman, a regional police intelligence chief, said the rebels were suspected to be members of a breakaway group of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

He added that the rebels were "engaged in extortion activities."

"These are lawless elements and had been subjects of a complaint by the governor, businessmen and people they have been threatening," Villaramon said.

Davao City, Philippines - Six soldiers were killed when a landmine planted by communist rebels exploded in the southern Philippines, an army battalion commander said Saturday.

Lieutenant Colonel Manuel Sequitin said the incident occurred Friday in a remote village near Mabini town in Compostela Valley province, 990 kilometres south of Manila.

Sequitin said victims were making preparations for a medical mission next month in the village when they tripped over the landmine, causing it to explode.

Davao City, Philippines - One pro-government militiaman and one communist rebel were killed Thursday in a clash in the outskirts of a southern Philippine City, a military spokesman said.

Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto Torres said the fighting erupted before dawn when about 50 communist rebels attacked a pro-government militia outpost in Davao City, 990 kilometres south of Manila.

Torres said three other militiamen were wounded in the fighting that lasted for several hours.

"We suffered one killed in action and three others were wounded," he said. "But the rebels suffered undetermined number of casualties and they were repulsed. One of the slain rebels was recovered."

Davao City, Philippines - The death toll in two landslides in a mining village in the southern Philippines rose to 14 as rescuers on Monday found more bodies beneath the mud and debris.

At least 16 people were still missing in Masara village in Maco town in Compostela Valley province, 930 kilometres south of Manila, the regional civil defence office said.

Antonio Cloma, operations chief of the regional civil defence office, said rescuers were racing against time in digging through the rubble in hopes of finding survivors.

"We are expecting to find more people buried in the mud, and we have to get them out immediately," he said.

Cloma said four bodies were recovered from the mud and debris Monday morning.