The chief suspect in the recent slaughter of Philippine election officials and journalists has been taken into custody, after turning himself in to the police.

Datu Andal Ampatuan Jnr, leader of a clan that has effectively ruled the southern Philippine province of Maguindanao for years, has declared his innocence, stating he only given himself up under the threat of a military attack on his family compound.

On Monday, an armed gang of 100 had attacked a large group of officials, political supports and journalists on their way to file election papers. The victims were dragged to a remote hillside and murdered, the bodies being hastily buried.

A total of 57 deaths resulting from the ambush has now been confirmed. Many of the dead were journalists and women. Although autopsies have not been completed, there is speculation that some of the victims had been mutilated before being executed.

Despite having lost his wife and two sisters in the brutal attack, Ampatuan’s political rival, Ismael Mangudadatu has succeed in submitting his candidacy papers for the Philippine elections scheduled for May 2010. He had sent his relatives and supporters to deliver the documents on his behalf, as he had already received several death threats.

There has been international condemnation of the incident from politicians and journalists worldwide. Reporters without Borders, the international journalism NGO, denounced the massacre: “Never in the history of journalism have the news media suffered such a heavy loss of life in one day,” they announced.

Clan leader Andal Ampatuan Jnr is close to the Philippine President, Gloria Arroyo. She has vowed that the killers would be brought to justice, but her political future is no longer certain.

With only six months of her presidential term in office remaining, Arroyo would have depended on the support of clan leaders such as Ampatuan. Many believe that

Arroyo’s primary concern was to secure a political succession that would keep her safe from possible litigation over several corruption allegations.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, have said that two holidays mean they have to wait until Tuesday to file murder charges against the main suspect. Several witnesses to the atrocity have come forward and declared their willingness to testify against Ampatuan and his associates.

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