MANILA, Philippines?Acting Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera ruled out Saturday any hospital arrest for Andal Ampatuan Jr., the prime suspect in last Monday's killing of 64 persons in Maguindanao.

"You know, we can't just join the fad of hospital arrests. We will study that thoroughly if that's needed,'' Devanadera said in an interview over the government-run dzRB.

Ampatuan's lawyer claimed last Friday that his client was experiencing difficulty in breathing inside the cramped and humid detention cell at the National Bureau of Investigation.

Ampatuan Jr., who turned himself in Thursday, has no medical problem except for a history of asthma, NBI officials said.

Devanadera also said that Ampatuan Jr., who is currently mayor of the town of Datu Unsay and reportedly planning to run for governor of Maguindanao to succeed his father Andal Ampatuan Sr., wasn't barred from filing his certificate of candidacy.

"Of course, they can still file. The question is, will the people still vote for them?'' she said.

Apart from Ampatuan Jr., over 100 armed men who were present during the massacre in the municipality of Ampatuan, were also being eyed as suspects, according to Devanadera.

"According to our witnesses, there were more than 100 of them there who were all armed,'' she said, referring to policemen and militiamen who served as security men of the Ampatuans.

"The overall direction from the President is that there would be no sacred cows. The entire government machinery must work toward the attainment of justice. The operational issues, we will decide on these,'' she added.

Devanadera said the Department of Justice would study Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago's proposal to file terrorism charges, instead of murder charges, against Ampatuan.

"To the media, the information that you have, the witnesses that you have in your custody, please turn these over to the authorities so you can help bring justice to the victims,'' she said.