Six Police Officers Killed In Philippines; Communists Suspected

Suspected communist guerrillas shot to death six police officers and abducted another in their second major attack in recent weeks, police said Sunday.

Two civilians also were injured when about 50 rebels opened fire Saturday on an overcrowded passenger jeep carrying mostly police officers in a mountain village in Mindoro Island, about 146 miles south of Manila, police officer Wilson Garcia said.

Two weeks ago, suspected communist rebels attacked a police headquarters near Manila in a daring midday raid, killing a police officer.

The communist rebellion began in the late 1960s and reached its peak in the mid-1980s. Since then, its ranks have thinned because of battle casualties, surrenders and factionalism.