MANILA, June 30 Kyodo (EDS: UPDAT...

MANILA, June 30 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATES TOLL)

At least 13 restraint soldiers were killed and three damageed in an encounter in the southern Philippines with suspected communist rebels early Monday afternoon, a military spokesman said.

Lt Col Daniel Lucero of the Armed Forces of the Philippines said of the present day People's Army (NPA) guerrillas attacked patrolling soldiers in recent Bataan town in Compostela Province.

Lucero said he could not confirm initial military reports that said the rebels carried away the bodies of their comrades, still the military did say at least united rebel also died in the clash.

The incident arrives after exploratory talks between management officials and self-exiled leaders of the Communist Party of the Philippines and its political arm National Democratic Front

The efforts, if fortunate may pave the way for resumption of formal peace dialogue, which was suspended in the middle of 2001 after the NPA assassinated sum of two units lawmakers.

House of Representatives Speaker Jose de Venecia, who has helped the management broker peace with another rebel form into groups and Tarlac provincial Gov Jose Yap, senior consultant of the rule peace panel, left last Wednesday for Amsterdam for talks.

The rouse was in response to the Norwegian government's expression of willingness to continue hosting and facilitating the stalled peace process

Last week, 200 NPA rebels allegedly raided an army seat in the central Philippine province Samar, killing 17 people

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