MANILA, April 15 (Reuters) - Philippine marines captured the camp of a Muslim rebel commander on Sunday after his forces attacked their base with mortar bombs killing two soldiers and one child, military officials said.

Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) commander Habier Malik and his followers fled to the jungles surrounding Panamao town on the southern island of Jolo after troops bombarded his camp.

"Malik's group are on the run. There is still sporadic fighting," Major Eugene Batara, a military spokesman, said.

He could not confirm a local press report that said 15 rebels had been killed in the fighting but he said the MNLF death toll was likely to be high.

"We are sure they have suffered many casualties."

A MNLF spokesman said three of their followers had been wounded.

Malik embarrassed the military in February when he held a top general, a senior government official and their aides hostage for two nights. The captives were released unharmed after the government handed over money and sacks of food.

The Philippines, a largely Catholic country, has been trying to quell Muslim separatism for decades and signed a peace deal with the MNLF in 1996 that was meant to end a conflict that has killed over 120,000 people.

But the agreement was not properly implemented and there is sporadic fighting between government forces and disgruntled members of the MNLF.

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