MANILA -- The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has placed several members of the Ampatuan clan on its watch list over their alleged involvement in the Maguindanao massacre.

Included in the watch list are family patriarch and Maguindanao Gov. Datu Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his sons, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan and Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan, Jr..

Ampatuan Jr. is the alleged mastermind in last Monday's gruesome murders of nearly 60 people in Ampatuan town. He was taken into custody on Thursday and then detained at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

The victims included women, lawyers, and at least 27 journalists and media workers.

PNP collects evidence

Forensic investigators from the Philippine National Police (PNP) have already sent pieces of evidence taken from the Maguindanao massacre site to its headquarters in Manila.

Among these are fluid swabs from the female victims as well as pieces of underwear, which will be used to determine if they were raped.

Bullet slugs and empty shells taken from the crime scene were also sent to the crime lab. Most of the these were from armalite rifles.

This fact runs counter to the weapons confiscated from paramilitary volunteers under the command of the Ampatuan clan. Most of the firearms confiscated were vintage rifles.

NBI rejects hospital arrest

Meanwhile, the National Bureau of Investigation (NB) rejected proposals to place Ampatuan Jr. under hospital arrest.

NBI Director Nestor Mantaring said there will be no special treatment for Ampatuan Jr..

Ampatuan’s lawyer earlier claimed his client was having difficulty breathing inside his cell.

The PNP, meanwhile, has already formed a task force to investigate the possible culpability of police officers in Maguindanao.

Several policemen and their superiors were relieved from their posts following the carnage for charges ranging from failure to prevent the incident to possible participation in the killings. ANC Primenews