Authorities have arrested a suspect linked to the January 30 explosion in General Santos City, South Cotabato that killed four people and wounded 30 others.

Police served the warrant of arrest on Choy Thaki Friday afternoon in his home for his alleged involvement in the explosion that occurred in front of a tuna canning factory, the Philbest Canning Corp.

Thaki, a tricycle driver, was charged with murder and multiple frustrated murder.

Police said Thaki is one of eight suspects in the bombing but they declined to disclose the identities of the other suspects.

Thaki, alias Thong, denied his alleged involvement, saying he could not kill anybody. The suspect also denied that he was in town when the explosion occurred.

Four people died and 30 were injured following the blast in Barangay Tambler on January 30.

Most of the victims were Philbest factory workers who were lining up for the evening shift and those going home after a day's work.

Factory management declined to issue a statement.

The factory is one of the city's six. It is owned by a fishing magnate in General Santos.

A gang of extortionists preying on businessmen has reportedly claimed responsibility for bombing the tuna canning factory that killed three people in the southern Philippines, a local official had said last Febuary.

Rodolfo Gantuangco, Kidapawan city mayor, said he received a telephone call from the leader of the so-called al-Khobar gang a day after the attack in nearby General Santos city.

"A member of the gang called me up on Thursday claiming responsibility for the bombing," he said, adding that he has already told police of the call and that an investigation was underway.

The gang, which is believed to have established links with the Abu Sayyaf militants, has been blamed for a string of bombings on Mindanao in the past two years targeting businesses, including a November attack on a mall in Kidapawan that killed one.

Gantuangco said that shortly after the November attack a man identifying himself as a gang member called him to demand money. He said he paid the P100,000 ($2,400) in fear for his life. With a report from Agence France Presse