Shariff Aguak, Philippines - A Philippine Muslim politician who lost his wife and dozens of relatives in a massacre filed his certificate of candidacy for governor of a southern province on Friday. Escorted by dozens of police officers and soldiers, Esmael Mangudadatu led a 50-vehicle convoy to the provincial office of the Commission of Elections in Shariff Aguak town in Maguindanao province, 930 kilometres south of Manila.
"This is now the beginning of new politics in Maguindanao," he said after handing his nomination papers to the election supervisor.
Mangudadatu took the same route that his wife, relatives and supporters as well as journalists took on Monday when they tried to file his certificate of candidacy.
But the convoy was stopped by about 100 gunmen and diverted to a hilly area in nearby Ampatuan town, where 57 people were brutally killed.
A rival politician, Datu Andal Ampatuan Junior, mayor of Datu Unsay town, has been detained for allegedly leading the gunmen. He is facing multiple murder charges for the worst-ever election-related violence in the Philippines.
The Philippines is scheduled to hold local and national elections in May. Candidates have until December 1 to file their nomination papers for more than 18,000 posts up for grabs nationwide, including president and vice president.
