THE United States Embassy in Manila condemns last Monday's mass killings in Maguindanao in the strongest terms.

"Such barbaric acts violate the most fundamental principles of human rights and democracy," Ambassador Kristie Kenney said in a statement e-mailed to Maguindao reporters.

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Kenney, on behalf of all American and Filipino employees of the US Embassy, offers heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and colleagues of the victims.

The US Embassy urged the Philippine government to spare no effort in investigating these terrible crimes and preventing such violence in the months ahead.

"We strongly believe that a thorough, rapid, and transparent investigation must be conducted, and those responsible must be brought to swift justice," Kenney stressed.

A total of 57 bodies were recovered by the joint police and military retrieval team.

The victims include five employees of Tacurong City Government who are on the way to a hospital in Cotabato City aside from the relatives of Buluan Vice-Mayor Ishmael Mangudadatu and more than two dozens of reporters that include community journalists.

The Mangudadatus and the journalists were on the way to the office of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to file the candidacy of Mangudadatu for the gubernatorial post in Maguindanao.

The five Tacurong City Government employees were also blocked by the gunmen that waylaid the Mangudadatu convoy as they were traveling the highway along with the Mangudadatus.

Kenney, California Congressman Bob Filner and staffs of US Embassy were in this southern port city Thursday. (Bong Garcia)