Philippines toll rises to 52 as more bodies discovered

Ampatuan, Philippines: Authorities have recovered six more bodies, bringing the death toll to 52 in one of the Philippines’ worst election massacres.

Regional police commander Josefino Cataluna says the bodies were dug out from a shallow pit near a grassy hilltop where police and troops earlier found 46 other remains from Monday's attack in southern Maguindanao province.

Cataluna says two vehicles, a sedan and a van, were entirely buried in the same hole.
The 52 victims include the family of a gubernatorial candidate and 18 Filipino journalists who accompanied his relatives in filing his election papers. Suspicion fell on a rival clan that has ruled the province unopposed for years.

Philippine authorities, under intense public pressure to make arrests in the country's worst election massacre, say they are investigating a member of a powerful family clan allied with the government and police.

Monday's violence left at least 52 dead. The victims included the family of gubernatorial candidate Ismael Mangudadatu and 18 Filipino journalists who accompanied the caravan in filing Mangudadatu's election papers.

Mangudadatu said four witnesses told him the convoy was stopped by gunmen loyal to Andal Ampatuan Jr., a town mayor, to prevent Mangudadatu's family from filing election papers.

Police said they were investigating reports that Ampatuan Jr. and dozens of policemen and pro-government militiamen were among the gunmen who blocked the convoy.