Defense chief links MILF to Cotabato bus blast

The Department of National Defense on Wednesday tagged the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) as one of the possible suspects in the October 21 bombing of a passenger bus in Matalam, North Cotabato province, which killed at least 10 and injured 30 others. The MILF’s Special Operations Group may be one of the two groups suspected of being behind the blast that ripped through a Rural Bus Transit en route to Kidapawan City from Cagayan de Oro City, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said in a press conference. “We have discovered that this could be the handiwork of two groups. One (included) those trying to extort from the company," said Gazmin. “Another angle would be the Special Operations Groups of the MILF. We are not sure of the group (that is behind the bombing) but we have narrowed down the suspects to two – the extortionists of the bus and the Special Operations Group (of the MILF)," he added. Earlier reports stated the suspects were getting back at the bus company after it dismissed an extortion demand. At least two suspects have been charged before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Cotabato province for the crime, while a fifteen-year-old boy, who admitted having planted the bomb inside the passenger bus, was not charged as he will be made a witness in the incident. (See: Criminal complaint filed vs 2 suspects in Cotabato bus blast) The MILF, however, said the suspects were just “fall guys" who were tortured by police into admitting their role in the incident. (See: MILF: 'Suspects' in bus bombing are fall guys) “(The suspects are) under investigation so we will determine if they are fall guys after the thorough investigation," Gazmin said. Lt. Col. Benjamin Hao, spokesman of the Army’s 6th Infantry Division, declined to comment, saying the case is now under investigation by the Philippine National Police. A military official who requested anonymity, however, said he doubts that the MILF was behind the bombing incident, even as he said they received information prior to the explosion that the MILF was planning to launch attacks. “There was a report before that the MILF were moving to avenge the earlier arrest (of some MILF members). That’s the rumor but we are not seeing this (bombing) as a handiwork of the MILF. Why the bus?" the source said. For his part, MILF spokesman for military affairs Von Al Haq scored Gazmin for linking the MILF to the blast, which he said does not augur well for efforts to revive peace talks between the government and the MILF. “That’s unbelievable… because they have not proven that that’s indeed the work of the MILF. We deny any involvement in the Matalam bus bombing, they (the suspects) are not from our ranks," said Al Haq. “This is a big blow to our negotiations," the spokesman lamented, adding that the MILF does not have a Special Operations Group. “This public pronouncement is a violation of the ceasefire of the GRP-MILF for saying something negative against the other. This is violation of the ceasefire agreement," the MILF official added.—JMA/JV, GMANews.TV