A Philippine politician has been charged for the mass murder of women, children and journalists, in what is considered to be the worst politically-motivated act of violence in the country’s recent history.

Andal Ampatuan Jr., mayor of Datu Unsayalso in Maguindanao province, has voluntarily turned himself in for interrogation Thursday.

Philippine president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is under intense pressure to investigate the Ampatuan family, which is widely believed to be the ones responsible for the murder of the people who were tasked to submit the Certificate of Candidacy of rival politician Ismael Mangudadatu last Monday.

Ampatuan is considered to be a critical ally of the Arroyo administration in the Maguindanao region.

Mangudadatu sent his wife and sisters instead to submit paperwork that will allow him to run for governor of Maguindanao in light of threats from Ampatuan’s camp, because Islam, the dominant religion in Maguindanao (also of Mangudadatu and Ampatuan), strictly dictates that no harm can be done to women. Mangudadatu also invited several journalists to accompany the convoy, believing that this will further impede harm.

However, the convoy was sidetracked by around 100 armed gunmen, who killed, raped and mutilated all who were present, including the operator of the backhoe machine that was used to dig their graves.

The exact number of dead is still uncertain, but current estimates put the number of deaths to around 70.

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