MANILA - The Philippine National Police (PNP) said its agents are closely monitoring 28 mansions in Mindanao and Metro Manila allegedly owned by members of the powerful Ampatuan political clan.

The PNP said that aside from the 4 Ampatuan mansions in Shariff Aguak town in Maguindanao, the clan also has 5 mansions in Cotabato City, 3 in Tacurong City, 9 in Davao City, 2 in Koronadal City, one in Cavite, one each in Dasmariñas Village and Palanan in Makati City, one in San Andres Bukid in Manila, and another one in Tandang Sora Avenue in Quezon City.

Aside from the mansions, police said they are also monitoring several houses allegedly being used by security escorts of the Ampatuans.

The police's revelation came a day after Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera said the government is already moving to freeze the assets of the Ampatuan clan.

Devanadera said the Anti-Money Laundering Council has started looking into the assets of the Ampatuans. She said a freeze order on the Ampatuan's wealth may be forthcoming.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on Saturday placed the province under a state of martial law. The military has taken full control of the provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak town and several local government units in the province.

A few hours after the martial law imposition, joint police and military teams recovered high-powered firearms and a truckload of ammunition from a warehouse allegedly owned by former Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr..

More weapons and ammunition have been seized near the Ampatuan mansions in Maguindanao.

On Monday afternoon, security forces unearthed 16 pieces of M14 and M16 armalite rifles at the back of the municipal building of Ampatuan town, where 57 people were abducted and massacred by suspected private army personnel of the Ampatuan clan.

Lt. Col. Edgardo de Leon, commander of the Army's 73rd Infantry Battalion, said five of the unearthed rifles belonged to 5 members of the province's Civilian Volunteer Organization (CVO).

De Leon identified the five CVO members as Broj Daulog, Madi Kamsa, Mastura Limba, Gapor Limba, and Rakman Sugadol.

Senate probe

Sen. Rodolfo Biazon, chairman of the committee on national defense and security, told radio dzMM on Tuesday that he has filed a resolution urging the investigation of the arms cache recovered by security forces in Maguindanao.

Biazon said he has asked Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff Victor Ibrado to submit to his committee the master lists of firearms and ammunition, complete with lot numbers, which have been procured or received through donations by the military.

The senator said he also asked Ibrado to provide the committee a list of the lot numbers taken from the unearthed arms cache in Shariff Aguak town.

He said he will also ask ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. for footage copies of the arms cache recovered.

Biazon said the Senate needs to know how the Ampatuan clan members were able to acquire the bullets and firearms, including the high-powered firearms that are available only from the military arsenal.

The senator said high-ranking members of the military and officials of the Department of National Defense could be held liable for the huge arms cache of the Ampatuans.

Days before the martial law imposition, security forces unearthed dozens of high-powered firearms and thousands of ammunition from a vacant lot, located a few meters away from the mansion of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan.

Martial law was imposed due to the alleged massing of private armies in several areas in the province. The government said the judicial and local government systems in the province also stopped functioning because of a looming rebellion allegedly led by the Ampatuans.

Ampatuan Sr. and the ARMM governors, along with more than 20 members of the powerful clan, have been arrested for alleged rebellion. With reports from radio dzMM