MANILA -- Dozens of gunmen hijacked a convoy carrying journalists and family and supporters of a candidate for provincial governor, killing at least 21 of the travelers Monday in the southern Philippines' worst political violence in years.

There was no claim of responsibility for the bloodshed in the predominantly Muslim region, which has been wracked by political tensions between rival clans.

The convoy of vans, carrying about 40 people, was hijacked in Maguindanao province, about 560 miles south of Manila. Army troops later found the bullet-riddled bodies of 13 women and eight men, regional military commander Maj. Gen. Alfredo Cayton said.

It was unclear whether anyone survived the attack. An army and police search for hostages was underway Monday.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines said at least 10 local reporters were part of the convoy. Their organizations failed to reach them, leading them to conclude that they, too, were killed.

"Never in the history of journalism have the news media suffered such a heavy loss of life in one day," Paris-based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders said in a statement.

"The frenzied violence of thugs working for corrupt politicians has resulted in an incomprehensible bloodshed," it said.

The politician, Ismael Mangudadatu, was not in the convoy and said his wife called him by mobile phone shortly before she and her entourage were abducted.

"She said . . . they were stopped by 100 uniformed armed men . . . then her line got cut off," he said. He said his wife and relatives were among the dead.

Victims' relatives blamed political rivals in national elections slated for May 2010.

Philippine elections are particularly violent in the south because of the presence of armed groups, including Muslim rebels fighting for self-rule in the predominantly Roman Catholic nation, and political warlords who maintain private armies.

The Muslim insurgency has killed about 120,000 people since the 1970s. But a presidential adviser, Jesus Dureza, said Monday's massacre was "unequaled in recent history."

 

 

-- Associated Press

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/23/AR2009112303615_pf.html


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