The Philippines has been named the world's most dangerous country for journalists this year by an official for the advocacy group, Committee to Protect Journalists. According to CPJ research, the deadliest event prior to the Philippines murders came in Iraq in 2006 when 11 employees of Al-Shaabiya television were killed in an attack at the station's Baghdad studios.

Eighteen reporters and 60 civilians were massacred in the southern province of Maguinadanao on Monday when 100 armed men, opposed to the nomination of Esmael Mangudadatu as a candidate in local gubernatorial elections, ambused the group of unarmed journalists, politicians and civilians.

The victims were reportedly transferred to a remote location where several of them were killed and buried in a mass grave. It appears that the journalists were particularly targetted for murder.

Executive director of the CPJ, Joel Simon said: "Even as we tally the dead in this horrific massacre, our initial research indicates that this is the deadliest single attack on the press ever documented by CPJ."

"While the scale is unprecedented, the backdrop is all too familiar. President Arroyo must commit the full resources of her government to confronting once and for all the culture of impunity which perpetuates this kind of terrible violence."

WAN-IFRA, the global association of the world's press, similarly called on the Philippine government to carry out a through investigation and bring the attackers to to justice. The association said an "unprecedented" government response was necessary, in a country with a long history of violence against journalists and civilians.

In an interview with CNN, Philippino journalist, Maria Ressa, echoed WAN-IFRA's statement, in suggesting that violence against journalists was nothing new: "In the last eight years, out of 74 journalists who have been killed, only four cases have found resolution," she said.

"Journalists are starting to come together to try to push for justice in this situation, but so far justice is very slow. They are doing their best to do their jobs, to hold both the public and the private sector accountable in as safe a manner as possible."

A spokesman for President Arroyo said yesterday that the president expects arrests "in the next 24 hours." The spokesman said that Arroyo is "enraged by these barbaric acts" and has thrown the full force of the law behind the investigation.

A state of emergency has since been declared by authorities in the south of the country and a government-backed milita suspected of involvement in the massacre has been disbanded.

Source: WAN-IFRA, CPJ, CNN