MANILA, Aug. 15 (Xinhua) -- Philippine police killed seven suspected leftist rebels in a clash on Wednesday in central Philippines, police said.

Police said the collision broke out after midnight on Wednesday in a village in San Jose town in Antique province when the New People's Army (NPA) rebel fired at a police team out to serve warrants of arrests for two suspects allegedly involved in a murder case.

The firefight, reportedly lasted an hour and resulted in the death of the seven rebels, police said.

Police said no policemen died in the clash.

The leftist insurgency in the Philippines is one of Asia's longest-running insurgencies.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has cancelled his administration's efforts to negotiate a peace pact with the leftist rebels.