MANILA — The mayor of a town in the southern Philippines who is accused in the November massacre of dozens of people pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 41 murder charges.
It was the first day of the trial of the mayor, Andal Ampatuan Jr., whose family has been a close political ally of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Authorities said the massacre around Ampatuan, a town in the southern province of Maguindanao, left 57 people dead, making it the worst act of political violence in Philippine history. Among the victims were 30 reporters and media workers — the largest number of journalists killed in a single episode, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Continue reading
