Philippines targets communist rebels

The armed forces chief in the Philippines, General Roy Cimatu, says the focus of military activity is shifting from confronting Muslim militants of the Abu Sayyaf group in the south of the country to what he called the growing threat from communist guerrillas.

General Cimatu said enough forces would remain in the south to ensure that the militants were eliminated, but communist insurgents had extended their activities and the situation could not continue.

An exiled communist leader, Jose Maria Sison, is reported to have called on the guerrillas to step up their attacks.

The communist New People's Army has waged an armed campaign for a Marxist state in the Philippines for more than three decades.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service