BUTUAN (Philippines), June 29: A hundred communist guerillas raided a southern Philippines resort island and clashed with security forces, leaving nine rebels and two policemen dead, officials said on Sunday.

The New People’s Army (NPA) blew up telecommunications links to Siargao island, the country’s surfing capital, late Saturday, and ransacked the municipal police armories, local Philippine Army spokeswoman Major Michelle Anayron told reporters.

Soldiers and police ambushed the rebels in nearby Lapinigan island, off the coast of the main southern island of Mindanao on Sunday, as the guerillas attempted to retreat.

In addition to the dead, five policemen were wounded in total, although no tourists or other civilians were hurt, the army spokeswoman said.

“Skirmishes are still ongoing,” said regional military spokesman Major Armand Rico.

The NPA is the 5,000-member armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines. It has been waging a 39-year Maoist armed campaign across the country. —AFP