MANILA - Five people, including two licensed teachers, were wounded in an ambush by suspected communist rebels in Jiabong, Samar early Wednesday morning, police said.

Reports reaching the Samar Provincial Police Office (SPPO) revealed that a patrol car of the Pinabacdao Municipal Police Station, driven by Police Cpl. Paul Jadlong, was the target of the ambush along Maharlika Highway in Jiabong's Barangay Tagbayaon at around 8 a.m.

The police vehicle was on the way to Catbalogan City and was traveling close to a passenger van when the undetermined number of perpetrators launched the ambush.

The incident left a police personnel and four persons aboard the passenger van injured.

Two of the civilian casualties are applicant but already licensed teachers.

Members of 2nd Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company (SPMFC) are pursuing the perpetrators while other police stations were ordered to establish checkpoints, police said.

The SPPO condemned the ambush believed to have been perpetrated by the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA).

"Mariing kinokondena ng kapulisan ang walang habas na pananambang ng mga teroristang CPP-NPA na ito sa ating kawani, lalong-lalo na sa mga nadadamay na mga sibilyan," it wrote on Facebook.

- Report from Sharon Evite