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| Philippine province martial law | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Martial law has been imposed in the Philippine province of Maguindanao after the election-related massacre of 57 people. | |
| Philippine authorities also arrested a powerful local official, Andal Ampatuan Sr, along with another senior member of the powerful clan. | |
| Andal Ampatuan Sr's son, Andal Ampatuan Jr, turned himself in last week and was charged with 25 counts of murder. | Andal Ampatuan Sr's son, Andal Ampatuan Jr, turned himself in last week and was charged with 25 counts of murder. |
| Troops raided the family's compounds on Friday, finding a buried arsenal. | |
| Prosecutors have issued subpoenas to six members of the Ampatuan family, including Andal Ampatuan Sr, to appear at a hearing on 18 December. | Prosecutors have issued subpoenas to six members of the Ampatuan family, including Andal Ampatuan Sr, to appear at a hearing on 18 December. |
| They deny any involvement in the 23 November attack on a political rival's convoy and have not yet been charged. | They deny any involvement in the 23 November attack on a political rival's convoy and have not yet been charged. |
| Among the 57 victims were members of a rival clan and 30 journalists. | Among the 57 victims were members of a rival clan and 30 journalists. |
| Weapons cache | Weapons cache |
| Presidential spokesman Cerge Remonde told reporters that President Gloria Arroyo had "taken this bold step [of declaring martial law in the province] in answer to the cry for justice of the [relatives of the] victims of the Maguindanao massacre". | Presidential spokesman Cerge Remonde told reporters that President Gloria Arroyo had "taken this bold step [of declaring martial law in the province] in answer to the cry for justice of the [relatives of the] victims of the Maguindanao massacre". |
| Local mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr faces 25 counts of murder | Local mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr faces 25 counts of murder |
| The Ampatuan clan have long controlled Maguindanao province and have been loyal supporters of President Arroyo. | The Ampatuan clan have long controlled Maguindanao province and have been loyal supporters of President Arroyo. |
| Since the killings, Mr Ampatuan Sr, his son and his brother Zalday have been expelled from her party. | Since the killings, Mr Ampatuan Sr, his son and his brother Zalday have been expelled from her party. |
| Friday's raids followed the discovery of what a military spokesman described as an arsenal of weapons buried several hundred of metres outside the Ampatuan compound in Maguindanao's capital, Shariff Aguak. | Friday's raids followed the discovery of what a military spokesman described as an arsenal of weapons buried several hundred of metres outside the Ampatuan compound in Maguindanao's capital, Shariff Aguak. |
| "We estimate that these weapons are enough to arm a battalion [500 soldiers]," national police chief Jesus Verzosa said. | "We estimate that these weapons are enough to arm a battalion [500 soldiers]," national police chief Jesus Verzosa said. |
| An investigation has been ordered into how the military weapons ended up in the hands of the Ampatuans. | An investigation has been ordered into how the military weapons ended up in the hands of the Ampatuans. |
| The government has armed militias in the south to act as an auxiliary force to the army and police battling insurgents but they often end up as the private armies of local strongmen. | The government has armed militias in the south to act as an auxiliary force to the army and police battling insurgents but they often end up as the private armies of local strongmen. |