MILF: 'Suspects' in bus bombing are fall guys

Some of the suspects arrested and charged for last week's deadly bus bombing in Matalam town in North Cotabato were fall guys, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front said on Wednesday. An MILF political officer based in Kidapawan City also accused the police and military of allegedly torturing the suspects into admitting their role in the incident. “The three minors are fall guys and they have nothing to do with the bomb blast," the officer said in an article posted on the MILF website on Wednesday. At least 10 people were killed while around 30 others were injured in the bombing of the bus in Matalam on October 21. The MILF said the "suspects" including Piko Tangkulo and minors identified only as Xiang and Saddam were allegedly “tortured" to make them confess about their supposed participation in the incident. "Piko, who was voluntarily surrendered to the police, is a resident of Arakan, Matalam, North Cotabato, while the residence of the other two minors was not reported. But another source told this website that the two suspects also resided in the same village," the MILF said. Earlier, the military said the suspects are from one of the high-profile extortion groups in Central Mindanao. The bus was in Matalam town on its way to Kidapawan City from Cagayan de Oro City on Thursday when the improvised bomb exploded. – VVP, GMANews.TV