Martial law declared in Philippine province

Updated at: 1119 PST, Saturday, December 05, 2009
MANILA: The Philippine government declared martial law in a southern province Saturday as it vowed to crush the private armies of the region's ruling clan that is accused of being behind the massacre of 57 people. President Gloria Arroyo placed Maguindanao province under military control late on Friday in an effort to contain the militias belonging to the provincial governor and other members of his Muslim clan, the government said. It was also implemented to make it easier to bring the clan members into custody, presidential spokesman Cerge Remonde told reporters. "President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has taken this bold step in answer to the cry for justice of the relatives of the victims of the now infamous Maguindanao massacre," presidential spokesman Cerge Remonde told reporters.It was the first time martial law had been declared anywhere in the Philippines since the reign of dictator Ferdinand Marcos. He had the whole of the country under martial law from 1972 to 1981.