MANILA, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- The trial of the prime suspect in the worst political massacre in the Philippines began Tuesday morning in Metro Manila, according to a report by China's Xinhua news agency.

Former Datu Unsay Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. arrived at the Philippine National Police headquarters in Camp Crame at 6.30 a.m., nearly an hour earlier.

Live coverage of the trial was prohibited and all photographers and cameramen were told to leave the court room before the start of the trial.

Relatives of the victims in the Nov 23 massacre also arrived at Camp Crame before 8.00 a.m. to attend the proceedings.

Ampatuan Jr. is charged with multiple murders over the killings of at least 57 people in November last year, including pregnant women who were relatives of a political rival and about 30 journalists, in the violence-wracked Mindanao.