The leftist New People's Army on Wednesday admitted the ambush of policemen in southern Philippines on Monday.

Police Officer Adones Dumaboc died to multiple gunshot wounds while his colleague, Sergio Salagoste, was wounded following the 10:00 a.m. local time attack in Bit-os village, Butuan City, in Mindanao's Agusan del Norte province, according to Superintendent Martin Gamba, police spokesperson for Caraga region.

A certain Ka (Comrade) Omar of the NPA's Cesar Cayon Command told local radio, the victims were engaged in extortion while manning an anti-illegal logging checkpoint in the said village.

The lawmen were on their way to relieve their fellow policemen guarding hundreds of seized illegal logs in the area when waylaid by at least seven NPA gunmen.

The attackers also took away the policemen's weapons consisting of two assault rifles and two pistols before fleeing.

Pursuit operations were now being conducted against the rebels, police said.

The 4, 000-strong NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is fighting a leftist insurgency in 60 Philippine provinces since 1969.