Farmers flee amid martial law

Farmers carrying sacks filled with little more than their clothes fled their homes as heavily armed soldiers searched among the exodus for militiamen accused of rebellion in southern Philippines.

The farmers had not witnessed any gun battles but after the government declared martial law in their southern province to quell a rebellion they decided to escape yesterday, lest violence should erupt.

Shariff Aguak until Friday was the powerbase of the feared Ampatuan family, a Muslim clan whose patriarch had ruled the province since 2001 with the backing of private armies.

"We are advised to leave," says one man fleeing Shariff Aguak.

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