TAGUM, (Philippines) - COMMUNIST insurgents torched a mining company truck and took three policemen hostage on Tuesday in a gold-rush area in the southern Philippines, a military spokesman said.

The New People's Army (NPA) rebels blocked the road up Mount Diwata and stopped the truck carrying the three policemen, said Major Armand Rico, the regional military spokesman.

The NPA then set the vehicle alight while taking the policemen to an undisclosed location, Maj Rico said, adding that police and military were in pursuit of the abductors.

The incident was part of the NPA's efforts to extort money from mining firms operating in the area, which is known for its small-scale mines, said Rico.

The policemen were aboard the truck to provide security from NPA attacks, he added.

The 5,000-strong NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines which has been waging a Maoist rebellion since 1969. It raises funds mainly by preying on rural businesses. -- AFP