One soldier was killed Sunday and six security forces troops were wounded in two clashes with communist rebels in the eastern Philippines, army and police officials said. Lieutenant Colonel Julian Pacatan, an army battalion commander, said one soldier was killed and three wounded in a rebel ambush in Masbate City of Masbate province, 430 kilometres south-east of Manila. Pacatan said the troopers were aboard a military truck en route to Mobo town to pursue guerrillas that had attacked the town police station before dawn. Masbate police provincial chief Senior Superintendent Thomas Seminiano said three police officers were wounded when the rebels attacked the Mobo station, according to a report of the German Press Agency "DPA".
