COTABATO, Philippines, Nov 29, 2009 (AFP) - Allies of a political clan linked to the bloody massacre of at least 57 people last week rallied to their defence in the lawless southern Philippines on Sunday.

About a dozen mayors and other local officials from three provinces - all allies of the powerful Ampatuan family - met with regional governor Zaldy Ampatuan in his mansion while about 900 people, many of them children, rallied outside.

Zaldy Ampatuan, governor of a huge Muslim autonomous region, issued a statement vowing justice for the victims of the massacre, but also insisting on the innocence of his family.

He charged that they were being politically persecuted and that the government in Manila was preventing even more of his political allies from reaching him. 'The Ampatuan family is under siege,' his statement read.

'This is an illegal persecution and our persecutors in their dire efforts to promote their sagging image are trying to ride... this incident,' he said.

He did not identify his persecutors.

The governor said he had been on his way to Manila to meet President Gloria Arroyo herself when the incident happened and presented his plane ticket as proof.

The governor's brother, Andal Ampatuan Jnr, a local mayor, has been charged with the murder of 57 people, including political rivals, journalists, lawyers and eyewitnesses on Monday on the southern island of Mindanao.

The hundreds protesting outside Ampatuan's mansion chanted 'Long live the Ampatuans' amid concerns that many officials linked to the clan may be suspended from their jobs while authorities probe the massacre.

'Don't remove the Ampatuans from their positions,' said one placard while another protester held one saying 'Ampatuans, not guilty'.

Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera has said Ampatuan Jnr, who has already been detained in Manila, directly led the murder.

She has indicated more charges would likely be laid against others, saying the process of filing cases had only just begun.

Devanadera also revealed the suspect's father, Andal Ampatuan Snr, the leader of the Ampatuan clan and governor of Maguindanao province, was among eight other members of the family under investigation and not allowed to leave the country.

Zaldy Ampatuan criticised the imminent suspensions, saying 'this is an arbitrary act on the part of some government officials that has to be addressed by the president herself.'

He also defended his jailed brother, saying that the law 'presumes everyone to be innocent when charged with offences unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.'

Maguindanao is part of Mindanao island, where Muslim clans rule vast areas backed by their own private armies, often out of the national government's control.

Ampatuan Snr had been grooming his son to take over as governor of Maguindanao. The victims' relatives have alleged the Ampatuans organised the murders so that a rival candidate would not run for the post.

Ampatuan Snr has been an ally of President Arroyo for most of this decade but Arroyo has moved swiftly to cut ties with the clan.

The president's Lakas Kampi CMD coalition quickly expelled the Ampatuans from the party following the murders.

Political analysts describe the Southeast Asian nation of more than 7,000 islands as extremely corrupt with the central government forced to team up with rogue politicians to win votes.