Two soldiers and a civilian were shot dead by alleged members of the leftist rebel group of New People's Army (NPA) in north Philippine province of Quezon, a military official said on Wednesday.

Two soldiers and their female civilian companion were gunned down at around 7:45 p.m. local time 1145 (GMT) on Tuesday by a group of men who later identified themselves as NPA members, said Rhoderick Parayno, commander of the Philippine Army's 201st Brigade.

Parayno said the three were attending a friend's birthday party in barangay San Vicente in Gumaca city. He described the incident as "brutal murders," noting that the soldiers were wearing civilian clothes and were not armed.

"The victims were shot at close range. But the rebels closed in and fired more rounds of AK47 rifles and cal. 45 pistols at the soldiers, making them beyond recognition," said Parayno.

The woman could have survived since she was able to run, but the NPAs chased her, he added.

The NPA, an armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, was formed in 1969. It has more than 4,000 members.