Election Violence in Philippines Leaves at least 21 Politician and Journalists Dead, Number Expected to Rise

Authorities in the Philippines have found the bodies of 21 politicians and journalists, part of a group kidnapped by armed men while filing nomination papers for a candidate on the southern island of Mindanao early Monday morning.

While elections are not scheduled until May 2010 registration for local and national races began earlier this month. Election violence in the Philippines is common but Monday’s events left many stunned and an adviser to President Gloria Arroyo called the killings “a gruesome massacre of civilians unequalled in recent history.”

The attack was believed to be sparked by the decision of a local mayor, Ismael Mangudadatu, to seek election for the governor’s office in Maguindanao province. According to reports the journalists and politicians had been traveling in a three-vehicle convoy when they were ambushed by the gunmen.

Authorities discovered the bodies of 21 people, 13 of them female while another 9-19 people remain missing. According to the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines 12 of those killed were journalists.

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