MANILA, Philippines -- President Macapagal-Arroyo is still keeping her political ties with the powerful Ampatuans of Maguindanao despite their expulsion from the ruling party and the filing of multiple murder charges against Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. over Monday?s massacre of at least 57 people.

?I don?t think the President?s friendship with the Ampatuans will be severed,? Lorelei Fajardo, her deputy spokesperson, told reporters in Filipino.

?Just because they?re in this situation doesn?t mean we will already turn our backs on them,?

With Malacañang?s promise of enduring friendship with the political clan, it did not seem to matter to Ms Arroyo that Ampatuan Jr. was the prime suspect in what has been described as the worst election-related violence in the country.

Director Andres Caro of the Philippine National Police said on Thursday authorities were not discounting the possibility of conspiracy involving other members of the Ampatuan clan in the mass killing.

Fajardo said Ms Arroyo?s role as chief executive should be seen as ?separate? from her function as a political ally of the Ampatuans.

?It doesn?t mean that they are no longer our friends, if ever they indeed committed the crime,? she said.

The Palace?s position seemed to contradict that of the administration?s standard-bearer, former Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, who initiated the expulsion of three Ampatuans from the Lakas-Kampi-CMD in his capacity as party chair.

?The Ampatuans were stripped of party membership for their failure to uphold party ideals and principles in their area of jurisdiction, specifically relating to the peaceful, legal and democratic pursuit and exercise of political power,? party president and Sarangani Gov. Miguel Dominguez said Wednesday night.

Besides Ampatuan Jr., no longer a member of the party are his father, Maguindanao Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his elder brother, Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

At Thursday?s press briefing in Malacanang, Fajardo was reminded of the Ampatuans? role in helping ensure Ms Arroyo?s highly disputed victory over Fernando Poe Jr. in Maguindanao in the 2004 elections.

The clan likewise delivered in the 2007 senatorial race, supposedly engineering an improbable 12-0 victory for the administration ticket in the province.

?Even if they have a relationship as friends or political allies,? Fajardo said, referring to Ms Arroyo and the Ampatuans, ?that should not hinder the President from being the President who would make sure that the law should apply to everyone.?

Fajardo skirted one reporter?s query on the importance of the Ampatuans as Ms Arroyo?s allies and the supposed difficulty authorities had even in inviting for questioning Ampatuan Jr.

?If you?re asking how important (the Ampatuans are) politically, let us separate the issue for now because the President is no longer seeking reelection,? she said.