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Manila, Philippines (CNN) — One hundred more suspects — including police officers — could face arrest over massacre in the Philippines, a government official said Friday after authorities charged the alleged architect of the killings.
At least 57 unarmed civilians were slain Monday in Maguindanao, in the southern Philippines. Andal Ampatuan Jr. — mayor of Datu Unsay and son of the provincial governor of Maguindanao — faces seven counts of murder.
Justice officials said they have collected sworn statements from witnesses and expect to file more charges as the investigation unfolds.
Witnesses have implicated dozens of people in the election-related killings, said Philippine Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno.
“There are an estimated 100 people that will brought to account for this incident,” he said. “We are in the process of preparing cases against them and ultimately filing similar charges. These people are actually members of the police in the province and civilian volunteers in the province.”
Speaking to state-run television from behind bars, Ampatuan denied any involvement, CNN affiliate ABS-CBN news reported Friday.
Meanwhile, police were on alert to prevent further violence, ABS-CBN said.
Violence in the run-up to elections — the next set for May — is not uncommon in the Philippines. The Maguindanao massacre, however, is the worst politically motivated violence in recent Philippine history, according to state media.
Ampatuan voluntarily turned himself in for questioning Thursday, then was charged.
In the subsequent television interview, he blamed Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander Umbra Kato as the possible architect of the massacre.
Puto on Friday rejected that allegation.
“At the moment, there is no evidence that the Moro Islamic Liberation Front had anything to do with this,” he said.
Maguindanao is part of an autonomous region in predominantly Muslim Mindanao, which was set up in the 1990s to quell armed uprisings by people seeking an independent Muslim homeland in the predominantly Christian Asian nation.
Negotiations between the MILF, which is one of those armed groups, and the Philippine government broke down last year after the country’s Supreme Court blocked a peace deal that would have increased the size and scope of the autonomous region.
The MILF lashed out at Ampatuan over his accusation, calling it a “clear attempt to divert the issue,” ABS-CBN reported.
Suspicion fell on Ampatuan after a government construction vehicle was found at the hastily dug mass grave where the massacre victims’ bodies were found.
Among the victims were the wife and sister of Islamel “Toto” Mungudadatu, who had sent the women to file paperwork allowing him to run for governor of Maguindanao. He said he had received threats from allies of Gov. Andal Ampatuan, the father of the accused mayor, saying he would be kidnapped if he filed the papers himself.
Also killed were a dozen journalists who had accompanied the women.
Witnesses and local officials have blamed Ampatuan, a longtime ally of Philippines President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and a known warlord.
They said the killings were an attempt to block Mungudadatu from challenging him in the gubernatorial election.
The exact number of those kidnapped and killed was still unclear, as recovery continued at the mass grave site.
from: CNN
The death toll from a politically motivated attack in the Philippines has now risen to 57, after 11 more bodies were recovered on Wednesday.
President Gloria Arroyo has declared a national day of mourning, and promised the gunmen would not escape justice.
The victims were killed on Monday, as they travelled to file nomination papers for the forthcoming elections.
Local politician Ismael Mangudadatu has accused a clan said to be allied to Mrs Arroyo of being behind the attack.
Mr Mangudadatu’s wife and at least 13 journalists were among the dead.
On Tuesday the government declared a state of emergency in two provinces on the island of Mindanao to allow police to search for the gunmen.
Planned in advance?
No suspects have been formally named in the killings, but police say they are investigating a member of the powerful Ampatuan clan – a family which has helped secure votes for President Arroyo in previous elections.
Members of the family could not be reached for comment, but Mr Mangudadatu claims that gunmen loyal to the Ampatuans ambushed a convoy of his supporters on Monday as they were travelling to register his name for the forthcoming elections.
“It was really planned because they had already dug a huge hole [for the bodies],” he said, adding he had spoken to witnesses of the attack.
Among the dead were Mr Mangudadatu’s wife, his two sisters and several key supporters, as well as at least 13 journalists who were travelling with them to witness his registration as an election candidate.
It is “the largest single massacre of journalists ever”, according to the Paris-based group Reporters Without Borders.
Human Rights Watch has expressed concern the central government’s close relationship with the Ampatuan clan would hinder an impartial investigation.
But President Arroyo promised justice would be served.
“This is not a simple feud between opposing clans. This is a supreme act of inhumanity that is a blight on our nation,” presidential spokesman Cerge Remonde told a local TV network.
“The president is very clear that those people responsible, regardless of who they are, should be brought before the bar of justice.”
Influential family
Analysts say the Ampatuans have effectively been in charge of the restive province of Maguindanao for decades.
Andal Ampatuan Senior has served in the Philippines Congress and won the governorship of Maguindanao unopposed for several terms.
His son, Andal Ampatuan Jr, was reportedly planning a similarly unopposed run to replace his father, but then Ismael Mangudadatu decided to run as well.
At least three of Ampatuan’s other sons are town mayors and most of them have their own private gunmen to safeguard their security.
from: BBC News
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