Manila  - Three government soldiers were killed in an ambush by communist rebels while they were on their way to a market in the eastern Philippines, an army spokesman said Thursday.

Two soldiers were also wounded while one was able to flee unharmed from the attack that occurred Wednesday, Major Chris Morales said.

Morales said the soldiers were aboard four motorcycles when ambushed by the guerrillas in Ragay town in Camarines Sur province, 210 kilometres south-east of Manila.

"They were on their way to the Ragay town market when they were waylaid by the rebels," he said. "They were in civilian clothes and unarmed."

Morales said the survivors told authorities the rebels shot at them even when they were already surrendering because they were unarmed.

Communist rebels have been fighting the Philippine government since the late 1960s, making the movement one of the longest-running leftist insurgencies in Asia. (dpa)