MANILA, Philippines – Three soldiers were killed and a fourth was wounded by a landmine Tuesday (June 4th) after their patrol stumbled onto a Communist guerrilla jungle training camp on the southern island of Mindanao, AFP reported.

"They were on patrol and they saw a lot of tents, but pet dogs alerted the NPA (New People's Army) guerrillas to the troops' approach," Brigadier-General Ricardo Visaya, commander of an army division in the area, told reporters.

"Our troops manoeuvred towards the trees as a gunfight began but the area turned out to be mined."

He said army reinforcements later captured the camp, which the rebels apparently used for combat training. The guerrillas fled.