Also known as the Ampatuan massacre, and considered to be the worst attack on journalists in recorded history, the massacre occurred in the southern Philippines, when 57 citizens and journalists en route to register voters for upcoming gubernatorial elections, were killed by gunmen and buried.
34 journalists were killed.
On December 4, 2009, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo placed Maguindanao province under martial law. Following the declaration of martial law, authorities carried out a raid on a warehouse owned by Andal Ampatuan Jr.
The raid resulted in the confiscation of more than 330,000 rounds of AR-15 ammunition, a Humvee, and an improvised armored vehicle. Twenty militiamen were arrested at the warehouse, and the same raid also uncovered thousands of Voter's ID buried on the ground. Martial law in Maguindanao was lifted on December 13, 2009.