Cotabato City, Philippines  - One soldier was killed Wednesday and three were wounded in clashes with Muslim secessionist rebels in the southern Philippines, a regional military spokesman said.

One soldier was killed and one was wounded when patrolling troops encountered Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in Datu Odin Sinsuat town in Maguindanao province, 930 kilometres south of Manila, Major Randolph Cabangbang said.

Cabangbang said fighting between MILF rebels and government troops also erupted Wednesday in the nearby town of Guindulungan, resulting in the wounding of two soldiers.

The military dispatched more troops to the areas of the fighting to pursue the rebels, he added.

Fighting between the MILF and the military escalated in August after the Supreme Court stopped the signing of an agreement that would have expanded an existing Muslim autonomous region on the southern island of Mindanao.

More that 200 people were killed in the fighting, and more than 500,000 were displaced at the height of the clashes. (dpa)