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| Philippines massacre: 24 charged | Philippines massacre: 24 charged |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Twenty-four people in the Philippines have been charged with rebellion over a massacre that left 57 dead on the island of Mindanao last month. | |
| Those charged include several figures from the powerful local Ampatuan clan. | Those charged include several figures from the powerful local Ampatuan clan. |
| It comes after martial law was declared on Saturday in Maguindanao province, where the killings took place. | |
| Two weeks ago a member of the Ampatuan clan, Andal Ampatuan Jr, surrendered to the authorities and was charged with multiple counts of murder. | |
| His father, Andal Ampatuan Sr - who was detained at the weekend - was among those charged on Wednesday. He a close ally of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. | |
| 'Private army' | |
| Prosecutors say that after the killings, those charged directed each other "to rise publicly and take arms against the Republic of the Philippines", reports Reuters news agency. | Prosecutors say that after the killings, those charged directed each other "to rise publicly and take arms against the Republic of the Philippines", reports Reuters news agency. |
| The Ampatuans are reportedly accused of forming "a private army to resist government troops", in the Maguindanao provincial prosecutor's charge sheet. | The Ampatuans are reportedly accused of forming "a private army to resist government troops", in the Maguindanao provincial prosecutor's charge sheet. |