MANILA - Datu Unsay, Maguindanao Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. is seeking temporary liberty from the National Bureau of Investigation after being charged with multiple murder over the massacre of 57 civilians in Ampatuan town last November 23.

Ampatuan's camp filed a petition for bail before the regional trial court in Cotabato City, saying the evidence of guilt against him is not strong enough to justify his detention. The petition is set for hearing on Monday, 8:30 a.m. in Cotabato City. Andal will be represented by his counsel given that he is detained at the NBI in Manila.

Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera is asking the Supreme Court to urgently act on their request for venue transfer for the multiple murder case against Andal.

Government prosecutors on Tuesday filed 25 counts of murder against Ampatuan Jr. and several John Does for their alleged involvement in the November 23 massacre. The case was filed by an investigation panel from Manila headed by State Prosecutor Leo Dacera.

Two boxes of documents were presented before Cotabato Regional Trial Court Branch 15 Clerk of Court Umaima Silongan.

Atty. Edilberto Jamora, the panel's spokesman, explained that each count is represented by almost 40 pages of documents.

"We only filed 25 because at the time of the inquest proceedings, those were only available medical records of the victims," he said.

He added that more charges will be filed against the Datu Unsay mayor as the investigation continues.

He said the most crucial evidence presented by the panel is a phone conversation between Biliran Vice-Mayor Ismael Mangudadatu and his wife, who was among those killed in the massacre.

Andal Jr. belongs to the powerful Ampatuan political clan. He is the son of Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan, Sr., and brother of Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan.