Philippine authorities filed 25 murder charges Tuesday against a politician over an election-linked massacre, and said they were building a strong case against other members of his clan. The charges against Andal Ampatuan Jnr were filed in a court in the southern city of Cotabato, which has jurisdiction over the remote farming area where 57 people were shot dead last week, said prosecutor Edilberto Jamora. However authorities said they were looking to have the case heard outside of the southern Philippines because witnesses were extremely worried about intimidation or other repercussions from the extremely powerful Muslim clan. "They are reluctant to go to court and they fear for their safety and their families' safety," Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera told reporters in Manila.