- Philippine President Gloria Arroyo may have enough legislative support to maintain martial law in Maguindanao province, where the ruling clan has been linked to the election-related killing of 57 people.

Arroyo declared military rule in Maguindanao yesterday and arrested its governor and several relatives, alleging they plotted “rebellion” as the government took steps to charge and prosecute them in the killings. Invasion and rebellion are the only constitutional bases for martial law.

While Congress can revoke martial law, the Senate and House of Representatives need to concur. Arroyo has enough support to win in the House, which would invalidate a vote for revocation in the Senate, leaving critics with only the option of a Supreme Court appeal, opposition Congressman Roilo Golez said.

“We don’t have the numbers,” Golez said in a phone interview. “They even have the numbers to extend” the duration of martial law. Arroyo still controls fund releases. Next year is an election year and many congressmen still need her support.”

Rebellion existed because supporters of the Ampatuan clan were preparing to fight the government if authorities arrested members of the family, Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said yesterday. Martial law was also justified because many provincial employees, including judges, had stopped reporting for work, she said.

Three-Day Limit

Exercising martial law powers, authorities arrested the clan leader, Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and at least four relatives: his vice governor, the regional governor, the mayor of the capital city and a town councilor. They have to be charged within three days or released, Devanadera said.

The government earlier arrested Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr., the governor’s son, and charged him with 25 of the 57 deaths, citing witnesses who said he was present at the killings and directed the executions by provincial militiamen.

The Nov. 23 attack was the worst in the country’s history of political violence. According to government and media reports, about 100 armed men stopped a convoy composed of supporters of a politician who planned to challenge the clan for the governorship and journalists covering the activity. They were taken several hundred meters away, killed and buried.

Thirty journalists and 15 unrelated motorists who witnessed the ambush were killed, local media reported.

Murder Charges

Police this week recommended the Department of Justice file murder charges against 12 people, including the clan leader and five relatives. Justice Secretary Devanadera yesterday summoned all 12 for questioning.

The declaration of martial law and arrests followed two days of reports that authorities had seized several stashes of weapons and ammunition from the Ampatuans. One of the stockpiles was enough to arm 500 men, authorities said. They’ll investigate whether some of the arms were used in the killings.

“I see the logic of using extraordinary means to neutralize the Ampatuans,” Golez said. “But there’s the danger that when the government embarks on something new, it might whet its appetite” to use the same powers in situations that don’t require them.

The Ampatuan clan, which supported President Arroyo in the 2004 and 2007 elections, ruled Maguindanao in part through militia groups first organized to help fight the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the al Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf terrorist group and the communist New People’s Army.

Authorities say militia members have been detained on suspicion of involvement in the executions