Suspected Muslim rebels attack southern Philippine town

Manila: The Philippine military said that suspected Muslim rebels have detonated bombs and opened fire in a southern town, killing at least three of the marines responding to the attack.

A top marine general, Juancho Sabban, said that a series of simultaneous bomb blasts on Tuesday hit a sports centre, near the Roman-Catholic cathedral and the residence of a judge on Basilan Island.

He said at least three marines were killed while trying to secure the provincial capital of Isabela city.  There were no immediate reports of civilian casualties and Sabban said security forces are in control of the city.

Muslim rebels have been fighting for a separate homeland in the predominantly Catholic nation for decades.