The Philippines military yesterday released all but four of 18 Muslim men who were rounded up on Thursday in connection with the December 30 bombings in Metro Manila. This took place even as national police chief, Panfilo Lacson, denied that the police had been involved in the dawn raid on the Muslim community in a northern suburb.

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Lt. Gen. Angelo Reyes said the four remaining suspects would be charged with illegal possession of firearms and drugs. Military agents swooped on the community in Culiat village in Manila's northeastern suburb of Quezon City around 3 a.m. on Thursday.

Twenty men, all Muslims from the southern main island of Mindanao, were initially rounded up but two were released minutes later. The remaining 18 were detained and interrogated for their involvement in five separate bombings which occurred one after the other on December 30, 2000 in Metro Manila.

"Four of them will continue to be detained to face responsibility for the firearms – the M-16, the .38 revolver and the hand grenade and prohibited drugs found inside their house," said Reyes. Asked whether the four were involved in the bombing, Reyes said: "We are still conducting an investigation. We can't say with finality that they're not the bombers."

He said the suspects were "all treated humanely, given food, and a medical examination was carried out in the presence of their lawyers". A Gulf News source, however, said the four suspects were identified by leaders of Muslim groups in other communities in Manila as having ties with Islamic separatist groups such as the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

"Muslim leaders from Bicutan (east of Metro Manila) came over to where the suspects were detained and pointed to the four as members of the MILF," the intelligence officer said. Earlier, AFP spokesman Gen. Generoso Senga, quoting military intelligence reports said investigations pointed to Moro militant groups such as the MILF and the Abu Sayyaf as likely suspects in the blasts.

Lacson, however, clarified yesterday that the police had nothing to do with the arrest of the Muslim men in connection with the bombings. "That was not our operation," he stressed. It was earlier reported that the police had taken part in the arrests. The PNP chief added that his men were currently conducting operations "outside Metro Manila".

Lacson also announced that his forces were closing in on the "perpetrators". He noted that they have identified the leader of the suspects, but refused to divulge the name.

It was learned yesterday that the police Criminal Investigation and Detection group yesterday filed charges of multiple murder in connection with the December 30 bombings against MILF chairman Hashim Salamat, vice-chair for military affairs Al Haj Murad, vice chair for political affairs Ghadzali Jaafar and vice-chairman Aleem Mimbantas.