LINAMON , Lanao del Norte -- Five Army troopers were wounded and three Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels were captured in an hour-long firefight in a town in Lanao del Norte province, the military reported Wednesday.

Colonel Nicanor Dolojan, commander of the 403rd Infantry Brigade, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer by phone that the military was verifying information that about 50 rebels were in Barangay (village) Kiasar in Tagoloan Monday when the clash occurred.

The wounded soldiers were brought to an Army hospital in Camp Edilberto Evangelista hospital in Cagayan de Oro City.

Also on Monday, soldiers from the 32nd Infantry Battalion engaged MILF rebels in a brief firefight in Barangay Buntong in Salvador town. No casualty was reported in that encounter, Dolojan said.