Election massacre prime suspect surrenders

A member of a powerful clan and the prime suspect in the massacre of 57 people in an election caravan has turned himself in.

The dead from Monday’s massacre in Maguindanao province include the wife, family and dozens of journalists and supporters of a governorship candidate who wanted to challenge the rival Ampatuan clan which has ruled the lawless area unopposed for years.

Lt Gen Raymundo Ferrer said today Andal Ampatuan, a town mayor who allegedly stopped the convoy along with four police commanders and dozens of police and pro-government militiamen, surrendered himself to presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza.

Ampatuan’s family has denied claims he was involved in the massacre.

Ampatuan boarded a military helicopter to a nearby city, from where he would be flown to the capital Manila, for investigation, Lt Gen Ferrer said.

“The family voluntarily surrendered him and they agreed that he will be investigated,” he said.

The military deployed tanks and truckloads of troops throughout the province under a state of emergency to hunt down the attackers and prevent retaliatory violence from the victims’ clan.

Police and soldiers yesterday found 11 more bodies at the site of the attack, bringing the death toll to 57. Six of the bodies were discovered in a large pit buried alongside three vehicles and five were found in a mass grave a few miles off the main road.

Ampatuan’s surrender followed days of negotiations between his family and Mr Dureza, apparently in a bid to prevent hostilities between the clan’s followers and government forces.

Interior secretary Ronaldo Puno said he had warned the Ampatuan family they risked a military attack unless they turned over Ampatuan by midday Thursday, local time.

Lt Gen Ferrer said the area around the provincial capital was tense after troops disarmed about 350 pro-government militiamen loyal to the Ampatuans.

The militia is meant to act as an auxiliary force to the military and police in fighting rebels and criminals, but often serve as a politician’s private army.

The clan, which has ruled the province since 2001, helped President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and her allies win the 2004 presidential and 2007 senatorial elections by delivering crucial votes.

Ms Arroyo came under intense pressure at home and abroad to seek justice for the victims of the massacre, with United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon and media and human rights watchdogs voicing their concern over the scale of the killings.