A pro-government militiaman was killed and four more wounded in an attack by Muslim secessionist rebels in the southern Philippines, a military report said Monday.

The report said the fighting erupted Saturday when about 30 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels attacked an army outpost in Maguindanao province, 960 kilometres south of Manila.

The rebels also suffered an undermined number of casualties, the report said.

Security forces in the strife-torn southern region of Mindanao are bracing for intensified attacks by MILF rebels next when the Islamic holy month of Ramadan ends.

MILF rebels have launched attacks against government troops and seized towns and villages after the Supreme Court stopped in early August the signing of an agreement that would have expanded an existing autonomous Muslim region in Mindanao.

More than 200 people have been killed in subsequent clashes between MILF rebels and government troops and at least 500,000 have been displaced.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo scrapped the government peace panel negotiating with the MILF. Arroyo demanded that the MILF surrender those responsible for the attacks against towns and villages before peace negotiations can resume.