Muslim rebels say peace talks at risk as police link with bus bombing in Philipp

Muslim rebels in the Philippines said on Saturday that peace talks at risk as police link their organization to the bomb attack on a public passenger bus on Thursday in the south that left 10 people dead and dozens wounded.

Von Al Haj, spokesman for the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said that they are deeply concerned with the police pronouncement blaming them in the bombing in the township of Matalam in North Cotabato province.

"We filed a protest. It's an insult to us. This is a clear violation of the ceasefire,"Al Haj said.

The bus, Rural Transit, was carrying more than 50 passengers when the explosion shook the rear part of the vehicle from the overhead compartment. An 81-mm mortar shell was used to make the improvised explosive device.

Earlier, Chief Superintendent Felicisimo Khu, chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations, told a radio station in Koronadal City that the bomb attack was in retaliation for the arrest of Abraham Yap Alonto on Sept. 22.

Alonto is a member of the MILF's central committee. He was taken in while trying to enter the Davao International Airport to take a flight to Geneva to attend a UN conference.

"They are just making the upcoming peace talks at risk with that pronouncement. It does not help,"Al Haq said.

According to Al Haj, their organization is conducting a separate probe to determine the group behind the deadly attack.

Chief Inspector Alexis Yap, regional police spokesman, said they have the identities of the suspects who carried out the bombing but he declined to divulge any details so as not to preempt their hunt.

Local officials have offered a 100,000-peso (2,315 US dollars) reward for any information that would led to the arrest of the bombers.

"Our bomb experts found out bomb used was a mortar shell but as to how it exploded, we have no idea,"Yap said.

Lawmen said Friday a local cell of the Southeast Asian terrorist group Jemaah Islamiyah was behind the attack, but Yap said those pronouncement made earlier were just speculative.

"We have the identities of the perpetrators now but I cannot divulge whether they are members of any terror groups operating in the region. Authorities are hunting them now,"Yap said.

Philippine National Police Director General Raul Bacalzo has ordered all bus companies not to pick up passengers along the highway.

Senior Superintendent Cornelio Salinas, provincial police director, said one of the suspects has links with a terror group.

"We already identified one of them. This guy is linked with a terrorist group involved in gathering finances, logistical buildup to support terror activities,"said Salinas.

In previous bombings, the military blamed Muslim militants linked with MILF and Abu Sayyaf.