REPORTING ON PRIVATE ARMIES IN MINDANAO

Vigilantes, Private Armies and Death Squads



On Monday, May 10th, voters across the Philippines will head to the polls to elect a new President and hundreds of local and provisional officials. But many poll watchers are concerned about the potential for violence. In recent weeks, 12 local political leaders have been gunned down, allegedly by members of politically connected “private armies”. Efforts to rein in private militias became a matter of urgency following a pre-election massacre last November on the island of Mindanao. I report from General Santos City.