Manila - Three police officers were killed Friday in a road collision while on their way to beef up security in a southern Philippine town, a police official said.

Inspector Rodrigo Tungal said the officers were killed when their patrol car collided with a cargo truck before dawn in Santa Cruz town in Davao del Sur province, 930 kilometres south of Manila.

Tungal said the victims were part of a contingent sent to the area to beef up security.

Five other police officers were injured in the collision and were being treated in a nearby hospital, he added. (dpa)