MANILA, Philippines?The government is considering different detention facilities, including military camps, for the Ampatuan clan members and hundreds of other suspects in the Nov. 23 massacre of 57 persons in Maguindanao.

?It?s highly probable that it?s not only one facility considering the number [of detainees],?? Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said in a Malacañang briefing. ?We have to look at other facilities.??

Ermita said Army camps in Tanay and Nueva Ecija were being considered as detention facilities since Fort Sto. Domingo, the police camp in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, could not accommodate all the suspects.

?The authorities are looking for a lot of places. It?s not far-fetched if they will tap other military camps. For example, the Army 2nd division in Tanay (Camp Capinpin). We have a lot of facilities. Fort Magsaysay is wide enough,?? he added.

The Philippine National Police headquarters, Camp Crame, as well as the Department of Justice, and the National Bureau of Investigation compounds lacked the facilities not only for detention, but for the hearing of the cases, officials admitted.

Up to 700 people, led by Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and his immediate family members, are facing preliminary investigation for multiple murder and rebellion in connection with the massacre.

The Ampatuans have been accused of masterminding the killing of the civilians, including relatives of a rival politician, lawyers and journalists, on a hillside in Ampatuan town on Nov. 23.

Ermita doubted if the police camp in Laguna, which had served as detention facility for high-profile detainees in the past, could accommodate the hundreds of detainees, including members of the powerful Ampatuan clan.

?They were mentioning Sta. Rosa. It?s too much to expect that they can (accommodate) 300 for example,?? he said.

Ermita said the authorities should not worry about where to detain the hundreds of suspects since there?s a host of facilities available.

?We will do everything. The important thing is, let the legal procedure be done in a manner that will be fair for everyone, and to ensure security both for the people and the detainees,?? he said.

According to Ermita, the status of the cases and status of government operations in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao would be part of the agenda at Tuesday?s Cabinet meeting in Baguio City.

?As a matter of fact the status of cases would be among the items to be discussed in Baguio on Dec. 9. The President is following up the developments as far as the Maguindanao situation is concerned,?? he said. ?The President would like this resolved as soon as possible.??

?It belongs to the functions of the judiciary. Perhaps what we can do is remind those in the judiciary for an expeditious disposition of these cases,?? he added when asked whether Ms Arroyo would order marathon hearings.

Ms Arroyo was also interested to get updates on the normal functions of government units in ARMM and in several towns whose chief executives had been arrested in connection with the massacre, Ermita said.