On 23 November 2009, 57 women and men were massacred in Maguindanao, Mindanao in the Philippines.

Concepcion ‘Connie’ Brizuela of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines, a human rights lawyer, was among the 22 women who were massacred. Two of the women victims were pregnant. At least five women were sexually molested before being murdered. Mass graves had been dug prior to the massacre being carried out, indicating the pre-meditated nature of the crime.The victims were part of a convoy of Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadato’ relatives going to the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao to file the candidacy certificate of Esmael Mangudadato for the post of governor. This was a challenge to the decade long hold on the post by the Ampatuan family.

Witnesses said the convoy was blocked by around 100 armed men led by Maguindanao Shariff Aguak, Chief Police Inspector Zukarno Adil Dicay and Datu Andal Ampatuan Jr, mayor of one of the towns in Maguindanao and one of the members of the Ampatuan clan, a major ally of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the past 2004 and 2007 elections.

The Ampatuans, who occupied many local positions in the province of Maguindanao have made use of their power to maintain militias which the government used in its counterinsurgency programs for many years. They have been able to build up a private arsenal including mortars, rocket launchers and top-of-the-range assault rifles. Their private army includes dozens of police officers.

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