Philippines mayor accused of organizing shootings

Southeast Asia News.Net
Friday 27th November, 2009

The mayor of a southern Philippines city, is facing multiple murder charges following a bloodbath on Monday which left 57 people dead, and scores injured.

Andal Ampatuan jnr, Mayor of Datu Unsay and the son of the provincial governor of Maguindanao, in the southern Philippines, was arrested and charged Friday.

Justice officials said they are investigating claims that Philippines soldiers and local police had participated in Monday's mass shootings. There were also reports that women, who accounted for nearly hulf the number of people killed, had been raped and had their pants pulled down while they were shot in their genitals.

Officials said they had affidavits from seventeenn people supporting the charges against Ampatuan.

Late on Friday the Philippines army recalled the two most senior commanders in the southern part of the country. They are believed to be under investigation over the shootings. A number of Maguindanao police officers have been arrested and are being detained in their barracks.

Witnesses have reportedly given statements to prosecutors alleging Mr Ampatuan ordered his private militia of more than a hundred gunmen to open fire on the unarmed group in a remote farming area. The militia included soldiers and policemen, Justice Secretary, Agnes Devanadera told local media.

The drama began Monday around 9:00am when around 100 gunmen ambushed a convoy that planned to nominate Esmael Mangundadatu, a political rival of the Ampatuan clan, for governor in next year's local elections. Mangundadatu's wife was leading the convoy which was to formalise the nomination at the electoral office. The convoy was being accompanied by around thirty jounalists and media workers who were covering the event. The entire convoy was abducted and taken to a location around ten kilometres from the main road where they were all killed. Asked why the reporters were killed along with Mangundadatu's supporters, which included his wife, local journalists said it is believed it was .in order to eliminate all the witnesses of the massacre

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