DAVAO CITY, Philippines?Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said on Tuesday one of the clans involved in the bloody carnage in Maguindanao Monday has sought the protection of Davao authorities for their children studying in the city.

Duterte refused to disclose which family has approached him. Immediately, however, he ordered the military and the police to closely watch them. Both the Ampatuans and Mangudadatus have their respective houses here. Many of their children are also studying in the city's universities.

Duterte, in an emergency meeting Monday night, said they have been working to prevent the violence from spilling over into this city.

Duterte said the conflict between the two clans has erupted to a level that demands the full cooperation of the military and the police.

"We must be prepared for any outbreak between the two warring camps. Task Force Davao will take the lead role to ensure that no violence happens in the city. We do not know about the dynamics of the politics there. The problem is that both of the warring parties have houses and families here," Duterte said.

He ordered Colonel Oscar Lactao, head of the Task Force Davao, to take charge.

"Whatever the military and the police will recommend as a measure to prevent the violence from spilling over will be adopted as the city's policy," Duterte said.

On Tuesday, Lactao met with the Davao City Police Office, the Regional Mobile Group, the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force, and the Philippine Army's 10th Infantry Division to come up with a consensus as to how to implement contingency plans.

"We hope the violence will not reach Davao but it is very possible. Right now, the concern is how to keep the peace here?We will closely watch them (the clans)," Lactao said.

The Ampatuans are known to keep lavish houses in some of the city's villages, including the imposing "palace-like" house in Juna Subdvision in Matina.

But Duterte assured both clans that Davao City would stay neutral and would accommodate both families should they decide to seek refuge in the city. He, however, warned that he would not tolerate any attempt by any clan to start trouble in this city.

"If you come here and start trouble, then we will enforce the law against the one who starts it (trouble)," Duterte said.

The Ampatuans have been linked to the massacre of the close relatives and supporters of Maguindanao gubernatorial aspirant and Buluan Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu and journalists covering what should have been the filing of his certificate of candidacy for the 2010 elections.

So far, police and military have recovered 24 bodies from the massacre site in a village in Maguindanao.