The death toll in the stunning mass killing of people, including journalists this week in the restive southern Philippines reached 64, state officials reported Saturday.

Philippine security forces continued to recover corpses as they scour the hilly village of Salman here where gunmen massacred dozens of people that include 30 journalists, relatives, lawyers or supporters of Esmael Mangudadatu, said Chief Insp. Roger Zagales of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the region.

Zagales said since Monday they recovered at least 64 bodies.