MANILA, Philippines—Presidential aspirant Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. on Thursday defended the government's alleged kid’s glove treatment of the Ampatuans who are allegedly behind the gruesome massacre of at least 57 people in Maguindanao.

In a press briefing held at Serrano Elementary School in Valenzuela, Teodoro said that while the public wants a swift resolution to the case, security authorities must be allowed do their job.

When asked if he agrees with how President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is dealing with the Ampatuan clan, known avid supporters of the administration who delivered landslide votes to administration candidates in 2004 and 2007 elections, Teodoro did not answer directly but said that the public should understand the situation.

"We have no choice but to let investigating authorities do their job. Micromanaging may lead to mistakes," Teodoro said.

"We have to understand that security authorities deal with many complex situations that need to be balanced," the Lakas-Kampi-Christian Muslim Democrats standard-bearer added.

Among the considerations that need to be factored in are the presence of wanted Moro Islamic Liberation Front groups led by Ameril Umbra Kato and other lawless groups such as the international terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah, the former defense secretary said.

Teodoro added that authorities are careful in handling the case since the situation in Maguindanao is "volatile."

He added that the global attention on the latest politics-related atrocity should not "pressure" authorities.

"Kailangan pag-aralan ang pagsasampa ng kaso dahil baka ma-teknikal, ma-dismiss, sayang naman ang kaso (The filing of the case must be carefully studied because it might be dismissed on a technicality which would be a waster)," Teodoro told reporters.

He reiterated his call that military officials in Maguindanao be relieved of their positions to "signal transparency" in the case.

The three Ampatuans—Andal Sr., Andal Jr., and Zaldy—were expelled from the Lakas-Kampi CMD late Wednesday, and Teodoro said the decision was unanimous.