Police and soldiers are conducting operations Tuesday to locate and rescue six people, including a child, who were abducted by leftist rebels in southern Philippines.

According to Senior Superintendent Edgardo Wycoco, Davao del Norte police director, at least 15 New People's Army wearing uniforms of the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency broke into the compound of Dasia Security Agency in Magugpo South village, Tagum City, Davao del Norte past 8 p.m., local time Monday.

The rebels ransacked the security agency's armory and took hostage four employees and two other civilians. They then also commandeered the security firm's three armored vans and fled with the hostages to an unknown direction.

Wycoco said the firm's vehicles, as well as two other cars, were recovered 12 hours later in the nearby Maco town.

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.