MANILA - COMMUNIST guerrillas said on Tuesday they took three policemen captive following an ambush on a patrol car east of Manila that killed an officer and wounded two others.

About 60 New People's Army rebels hiding in foxholes detonated a land mine and opened fire on the car carrying six police officers Saturday, said Rizal provincial police chief Ireneo Dordas.

It was the latest attack in the 40-year Marxist rebellion and one of the closest to the Philippine capital.

In an e-mailed statement, the rebels said the remaining three officers led by Inspector Rex Cuntapay 'immediately surrendered to the Red fighters and were taken as prisoners of war.' The rebels didn't immediately make any demands for the return of the officers.

The guerrillas have been holding captive an army officer, 1st Lt Vicente Cammayo, in the southern Philippines since he was captured Nov 7. Rebel spokesman Rigoberto Sanchez said in a statement the guerrillas postponed a plan to release Lt Cammayo early this month because of continuing military offensives.

The 120,000-strong military said its troops are continuing to weaken the rebels with relentless offensives aimed at meeting President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's goal of ending one of Asia's longest insurgencies by 2010.

The guerrillas began their rebellion in the late 1960s, reaching a peak strength of 26,000 fighters in the mid-1980s. Since then, rebel ranks have thinned to 5,200 because of battle setbacks, surrenders and factionalism.

Peace talks brokered by Norway stalled in 2004 when the guerrillas accused the Philippine government of instigating their inclusion on the US list of terrorist organisations. -- AP