Shariff Aguak: The Philippine military said on Monday over 3,000 armed followers of a powerful Muslim clan, whose provincial stronghold was placed under martial law after a massacre, remain a threat.
"The number would not be less than 3,000," said Lieutenant General Raymundo Ferrer, whose forces took over the southern province of Maguindanao after it was placed under martial law on Friday night.
"These (militiamen) are in hiding with their weapons. They have said they will fight and there are many of them," Ferrer told radio station DZBB from his base in the south.
The armed group are followers of the Ampatuan family, which has ruled the province since 2001 and whose leaders are accused of being behind the November 23 massacre of 57 people. The government said it was forced to impose martial law after Ampatuan forces threatened to attack if the leaders were taken into custody.
"They managed to slip out some guns and ammunition before martial law," Ferrer said.
"(They) are in a defensive position, and the information we have received is that they are prepared to fight the government."
Thousands of government forces have taken over the province since martial law was imposed.
They have carried out raids on Ampatuan properties and recovered an enormous array of military hardware, including anti-tank weapons and armoured personnel carriers.
PTI
First Published: Monday, December 07, 2009, 09:11