A ruling family in the southern Philippines island of Mindanao committed killings and other abuses over two decades with the support of government security forces and officials. One year after the massacre of 58 people in Maguindanao province attributed to the Ampatuan family and their "private army" on November 23, 2009, the Philippine government has failed to seriously investigate atrocities by powerful ruling families, ban abusive militia forces, or curtail access of officials to military weaponry.