MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Justice (DOJ) filed Wednesday rebellion charges against five members of the powerful Ampatuan family and 19 of their followers for allegedly taking arms to fight the Philippine government.

Among those charged are former Maguindanao Governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., Datu Akmad Ampatuan, Datu Anwar Ampatuan, and Datu Sajid Islam Ampatuan.

"The said accused who are heads of the rebellion did then and there willfully, unlawfully, and feloniously help support, promote, maintain, cause, direct and/or command their co-accused who are their followers to rise publicly and take arms against the Republic of the Philippines," the charge sheet says.

The justice department said the Ampatuans had been massing armed men and organizing assemblies as a means to commit rebellion, committed acts that prevented public prosecutors from being available to conduct inquests and preliminary investigations, and formed private armies to resist government troops.

Leo Dacera, acting provincial prosecutor for Maguindanao, signed the charge sheet.

The Ampatuans are suspected of perpetrating the massacre of 57 men, including women, journalists and supporters of the rival Mangudadatu clan, in Maguindanao last November 23.

President Arroyo imposed martial law in Maguindanao last Saturday to allow the immediate arrests of several members of the Ampatuan family. Mrs. Arroyo earlier told Congress that she imposed martial law after private armies of the Ampatuan clan threatened to attack government troops if the Ampatuans were arrested. 

Justice Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor asked more witnesses to come forward and bolster the government's case against the Ampatuans. The DOJ has filed 25 counts of murder against Datu Unsay (Maguindanao) Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. for leading the massacre.

Blancaflor said the Ampatuans allowed 14 vehicles to pass through checkpoints in Sitio Malating, Barangay Salman before stopping the six-vehicle convoy of the rival Mangudadatu clan at the time of the massacre. He said one of the 14 vehicles was owned by Manila Bulletin reporter Bobby Reblando who went back after noticing that the Mangudadatus were stopped by armed men at the checkpoint.

Reblando was one of the victims of the massacre.