MANILA - (UPDATED) Three policemen were killed while 3 other officers were injured in an ambush in Lupi, Camarines Sur on Thursday.

They were Barangay Napolidan on the way to Daet town when the gunmen opened fire on their marked vehicle at around 9:10 a.m.

Dinala na sa Camarines Norte Provincial Hospital ang mga sugatang pulis. Patungo sana sa Daet, Camarines Norte ang police vehicle na lulan ng mga pulis na escort kay FDA Director General Nela Puno nang tambangan kaninang umaga sa Lupi, Camarines Sur. | @maan_macapagal pic.twitter.com/iPRxF8UVyQ

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) October 18, 2018

The victims were Camarines Sur police's SPO1 Percival Rafael, PO3 Carlito Navarroza, and PO1 Ralph Jason Vida.

Meanwhile, PO1 Jonathan Perillo, Ruby Buena, and Rodolfo Gonzaga were wounded and rushed to the Bicol Medical Center.

Senior Insp. Rommel San Andres, Lupi police chief, said the officers were the security detail of Food and Drug Administration director general Nela Charade Galang-Puno.

He said Galang-Puno's vehicle was behind the ambushed police vehicles.

"Nag-provide [sila] ng road security sa VIP natin papuntang Daet. Nasa area na sila—'yung mga kalaban natin sa kabila," he said.

"Hindi po pinalad yung tropa ko. Pero nakibakbakan sila," the police officer added.

Senior Insp. Rommel San Andres, Lupi police chief, said they recovered an unexploded landmine from the crime scene.

San Andres suspects the New People's Army was behind the attack.

-- With reports from Zhander Cayabyab, Maan Macapagal, and Jessa Mylce Mella, ABS-CBN News