Manila, July 19 (IANS): A suspected rebel has been killed in a clash with a team of police and army soldiers in Rizal province, east of the Philippine capital region, the police said on Friday.

The police said a firefight ensued after alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA) fired at a law enforcement team that went to a village near Rodriguez town to serve arrest warrants to two rebels at around 10 p.m. local time on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The insurgents allegedly fired at the team as they approached the hideout, forcing the police officers and soldiers to retaliate.

The police said two other alleged NPA rebels have been arrested, while one managed to escape.

NPA rebels have been fighting the government troops since 1969. Despite the decreasing number of fighters, NPA rebels concentrate their attacks on rural areas and have frequent skirmishes with the military.

Military data showed that the NPA's personnel strength has declined since its peak of around 25,000 armed members in the 1980s.