In the Philippines, seven government soldiers, including a young officer, were killed today in an ambush by New People's Army (NPA) rebels in the northern mountain province of the country. Army Commanader Col. <br/><br/>Eliseo Posadas said his men were aboard a military truck when they were ambushed by the rebels between Talubin and Samoki villages in Bontoc town, killing seven soldiers. He said the rebels took the firearms of the soldiers but could not categorically say how many weapons were carted away by the insurgents. <br/><br/>Posadas said troops and armored vehicles were promptly deployed to the area to pursue the rebels. The NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been waging a guerrilla campaign in the countryside for four decades.