MANILA, Philippines - Charges of grave misconduct were filed Wednesday against 62 policemen for their alleged involvement in the November 23, 2009 massacre of 57 people in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao province.

Lawyer Harry Roque said the charges were filed by relatives of the 13 journalist massacre victims before the National Police Commission (Napolcom) office in Makati City.

Roque said that aside from the charges filed, the journalists' relatives also asked the Napolcom to issue 90-day preventive suspensions against the policemen, including former top officials of the Maguindanao Police Provincial Office.

“We pray that the respondents be placed on preventive suspension for a period not exceeding ninety (90) days," the relatives of the journalists said in an 18-page complaint.

Eight of the 62 officials identified by Roque's group were Chief Inspector Zukarno Dicay, Inspector Rex Ariel Diongon, Inspector Michael Joy Ynes Macaraeg, Senior Inspector Abdulgapor Abad, Inspector Saudi Mokamad, Superintendent Abusama Munda Maguid, Superintendent Bahnarin Kamaong and Superintendent Abdulwahid Pedtucasan.

The Department of Justice had filed multiple murder charges against the policemen for their alleged participation in the gruesome massacre of the 57 civilians, mostly journalists and women.

Police investigations showed that the provincial policemen and several dozens of militia men, who were allegedly loyal to the Ampatuan clan of Maguindanao province, manned and stopped at gunpoint a convoy led by the wife of Maguindanao gubernatorial candidate Esmael "Toto" Mangudadatu, the incumbent mayor of Buluan town.

The convoy was brought to Barangay Saniag in Ampatuan town, where they were brutally massacred.