Soldiers escort the funeral procession of a victim of the cathedral bombing in JoloNickee Butlangan/AFP/Getty Images

Five Philippines soldiers were killed in fierce fighting with Islamic militants in the south of the country, as they tried in vain to hunt down the suspected perpetrator of last Sunday's double bombing of a Roman Catholic cathedral.

An army spokesman said that five soldiers were killed on Jolo island by members of Abu Sayyaf, a notorious group of hostage takers who are believed to be behind the bombing of Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount in which 22 worshippers and soldiers died.

The army claims that it killed three militants during close to two hours of fighting on Saturday in jungle on the outskirts of the town of Patikul. It admitted, however, that none of their bodies have been recovered. Eighteen soldiers were wounded.