Bodies of 21 hostages 'found' in Philippines
Bodies of 21 hostages 'found' in Philippines
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Monday, 23, Nov 2009 10:32
By Richard James.
A group of 21 politicians and journalists abducted in the southern Philippines has been found dead, local reports claim.
Major General Alfredo Cayton from the Philippines military said in an interview on Monday the victims' bodies had been found but it was still unclear who had carried out the killings.
"Our army troopers have reached the area where the vehicles and those held were taken... they were shot by the armed men," he said.
"We have recovered 21 bodies. Our men are continuing to scour the area to find the others," he said.
The group had been on their way to an election office in Maguindanao to file papers on behalf of a candidate in the upcoming elections, local reports state.
The Philippines are due to hold national elections in May next year with the registration period beginning earlier this month.
It is claimed that among those found dead was the wife of the candidate the group had been attempting to register for the elections.
Clashes among rival political families are common in Maguindanao, the AFP news agency claims, as with other parts of Mindanao island, where Islamic militants have been clashing with a separatist rebellion and government troops for decades.