The Maguindanao massacre , also known as the Ampatuan massacre Committing_crime after the town where the mass graves were found Know , occurred Coming_to_be on the morning of November 23 , 2009 , in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao province , on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines .

The Maguindanao massacre , also known as the Ampatuan massacre Committing_crime after the town where the mass graves were found Know , occurred Coming_to_be on the morning of November 23 , 2009 , in the town of Ampatuan in Maguindanao province , on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines .

Mangudadatu was challenging Competition Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. , son of the incumbent Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and member of one of Mindanao 's leading Muslim political clans , in the forthcoming Maguindanao gubernatorial election Choosing , part of the national elections Choosing in 2010 .

Mangudadatu was challenging Competition Datu Unsay mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. , son of the incumbent Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr. and member of one of Mindanao 's leading Muslim political clans , in the forthcoming Maguindanao gubernatorial election Choosing , part of the national elections Choosing in 2010 .

The Committee to Protect Journalists ( CPJ ) has called Name_conferral the Maguindanao massacre Killing the single deadliest event for journalists in history .

Even before the Maguindanao massacre Killing , the CPJ had labeled Labeling the Philippines the second most dangerous country for journalists , second only to Iraq .