Gunmen have ambushed a town mayor and his entourage of political campaigners in the southern Philippines, killing his daughter and nine other supporters and relatives, police said.

Abdul Manamparan, the mayor of Nunungan, and eight other people were wounded as they were travelling in a truck along a remote mountain road following a campaign rally late on Thursday.

About 15 unidentified gunmen carried out the attack, said the Lanao del Norte provincial police chief, Gerardo Rosales. Police suspect they belonged to a rival clan.

Election season violence is common in the Philippines. In 2009 more than 50 people, including 32 journalists, were massacred by alleged followers of a powerful southern provincial clan in the country's worst political violence.

Manamparan, whose term as mayor ends this year, is running for vice-mayor in next month's elections.

Rosales said Manamparan's daughter, Adnanie, and two relatives were among those killed. Two relatives including a 15-year-old girl were among the wounded.

A police report said an officer serving as the mayor's bodyguard was wounded as he fought off the attackers in a shootout before soldiers and policemen arrived.

Last week communist rebels ambushed the convoy of the southern Gingoog City mayor, Ruth Guingona, wife of the former vice-president Teofisto Guingona, killing two of her aides and wounding her and a police escort.

The New People's Army apologised for harming the mayor and her party but said her bodyguards had fired at a rebel checkpoint, prompting them to return fire.