Manila, Mar 20 (IANS): Five policemen were killed in a clash with suspected rebels in the Philippines, a top official said on Saturday.

Two officers were also wounded in the fighting late Friday in a remote village in Labo town in Camarines Norte province, about 200 km south-east of Manila, reports dpa news agency.

The cops were on patrol in the village of Dumagmang when they encountered a group of guerrillas, triggering the firefight, said Juancho Ibis, Labo town's police chief said.

There were no reports of casualties from the side of the rebels.

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier in the month ordered police and military to kill communist rebels.

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

In November 2017, Duterte terminated peace talks with the communist rebels amid unabated attacks by the guerrillas.

Efforts to resume the negotiations have so far failed.