A Philippine court on Thursday found members of a prominent political clan guilty of carrying out a 2009 massacre that left 57 people dead, including 32 media workers.
The Manila court sentenced Andal Ampatuan Jr. and several other family members to life in prison. The case involved more than 100 detained suspects, and dozens were given lesser sentences while others were acquitted for a lack of evidence.
Nicholas Bequelin of the London-based rights group Amnesty International said the government must take more steps to achieve justice for the victims with 80 other people accused of taking part in the massacre still at large.
The killings took place after gunmen blocked a convoy carrying relatives and supporters of Esmael Mangudadatu. They were traveling to submit forms for his candidacy for governor of Maguindanao province in what was a challenge to the Ampatuan control in the area.
The victims and their vehicles were dumped in a mass grave.
The trial in the case began in 2010, and throughout the process the Ampatuan family members denied the charges against them.