AMPATUAN, Philippines, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The death toll in the stunning mass killing of people, including journalists this week in the restive southern Philippines reached 64, state officials reported Saturday.

    Philippine security forces continued to recover corpses as they scour the hilly village of Salman here where gunmen massacred dozens of people that include 30 journalists, relatives, lawyers or supporters of Esmael Mangudadatu, said Chief Insp. Roger Zagales of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the region.

    Zagales said since Monday they recovered at least 64 bodies.

Philippines moves to take control of volatile south after massacre      

    MANILA, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Friday gave to "go" signal for suspension of local officials, police and military commanders in the volatile southern Philippines after a prominent local clan leader was arrested as the prime suspect in the massacre of 57 people.

    Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said at the weekly press briefing that Interior Secretary Rolando Puno will be responsible for appointing the officers-in-charge of Maguindanao province, where the family of the governor was tagged as the prime suspect. Full story

Top suspect in Philippine massacre surrenders to authorities    

    MANILA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- A son of the governor of a southern Philippine province on Thursday surrendered himself to the authorities after he and his family clan are tagged as prime suspects in Monday's massacre of at least 57 unarmed civilians.

    Andal Ampatuan Jr., son of Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and mayor of Unsay town, is now in custody after military took over the provincial capitol and two municipality halls in the province, government officials said. Full story

Philippine president declares national day of mourning for victims

    MANILA, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday declared a national day of mourning for the victims of Monday's massacre in the country's southern province of Maguindanao.

    Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said in a press briefing that Ms Arroyo declared the national day of mourning three days after the worst massacre in the country's history in which at least 49 people, including journalists, were brutally killed. Full story