Philippine president declares martial law after political killings

In the wake of the worst political killings in recent memory, Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared martial law in the country’s troubled southern region last weekend. Fifty-seven people were killed in a November 23rd attack, many of them journalists and women. A powerful political family in the region has been charged with multiple counts of murder. The killings have brought renewed attention to the Arroyo administration, which a 2007 UN report on extrajudicial killings said was responsible for a "culture of impunity."

The declaration of martial law and Arroyo's possible ties to the political family accused of the murders have drawn criticism. Today, the Philippine Supreme Court ordered President Arroyo to respond to questions of the constitutionality of martial law. Congress will convene a joint session tomorrow to consider the issue.

Meanwhile, a coalition of independent media recently released a report with new details of the killings.

We're joined by Ed Lingao. He's a reporter with the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism in Manila. He was part of the fact-finding mission that produced the report and he visited the site of the massacre during the last week of November.