Mangadudatu Massacre: Death Toll Rises to 39

This just scary and way violent. Let's please pray for all the victims of this tragedy.

It was reported yesterday that a brutal massacre occurred in Maguindanao, wherein around 40 people were beheaded, mutilated and killed all belonging to the Mangadudatu clan.

The wife of Esmael Mangadudatu, was on the way to file the nomination of Esmael, her husband, to contest the governorship of Maguindanao against Datu Andal Ampatuan, the head of a powerful local family.

The dead bodies has already risen to 39, so far only 4 have survived the attack. 

The southern Philippines is riven by clan rivalries, including one between the Mangudadatus and the Ampatuans. Many politicians and elected officials in the region maintain well-equipped private armies.

Ampatuan has been elected governor of Maguindanao three times previously, always unopposed, although he resigned from the post earlier this year, apparently to circumvent term limits on elected officials.

One of his sons is the governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, an area which covers six provinces.

None of the Ampatuans made any coment to local or foreign media.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo condemned the violence and ordered her top security officials to "personally oversee military action" against those behind the killings.

"No effort will be spared to bring justice to the victims and hold the perpetrators accountable to the full limit of the law," she said in a statement. "Civilised society has no place for this kind of violence."

Article & picture taken from: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSSP511463

http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSSP511463