[Inquirer] Philippine security forces arrested Thursday morning in Maguindanao a suspect in the 2008 Digos City bus bombing that killed six people and injured 30 others. Also arrested during the dawn raid was the village chair of Penfarm, Datu Paglas, Maguindanao.Senior Inspector Allan Uy identified the bombing suspect as Kamad Makauyag, a member of the Al-Khobar extortion group. Also arrested was Mahal Matalam, chair of Barangay Penfarm, Datu Paglas, Maguindanao, where Makauyag had been hiding since the bus bombing. Uy said, "Matalam was arrested for possession of unlicensed firearms."
The Al-Khobar group, composed of former Moro militants turned bandits, was blamed for a series of bus bombings in North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Davao del Sur after the transport company ignored the group's extortion demands.
The April 2008 bombing killed six passengers and wounded 30 others after the suspects set off a powerful improvised explosive device with cut nails used as shrapnel.
Makauyag was the third suspect arrested in connection with the bombing. In 2011, police nabbeded Nor Muhammid at his home in Barangay Nuangan. A certain Tahir Sindai was arrested by a police special unit in May 2014 also for his alleged involvement in the Digos bombing.
| Then there was that other leader arrested in November 2013. |