The alleged gunman who belonged to a group of heavily armed elements that staged an ambush against a team of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) agents in 2009 tried to shoot it out with operatives in Cotabato City, resulting in his death.

Undersecretary Arturo Cacdac Jr., PDEA director general identified the slain suspect as Morad Solaiman y Abdul, 33, a listed drug personality and resident of Cotabato. He is a member of the Guimad Drug Group operating in Cotabato.

Based on investigations, Solaiman was involved in the attack against a team of PDEA agents on April 13, 2009 in Barangay Dalumangcob, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao province.

“Our men were on their way to serve a Warrant of Arrest when they were ambushed. A member of the team, agent Pablo June Jala, was killed, together with a confidential informant, while several others were wounded,” Cacdac said.

The encounter took place in the vicinity of Solaiman’s residence during a buy-bust operation conducted by agents of PDEA-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao under Director Yogi Felimon Ruiz at about 5:30 a.m., on December 13, 2012.

Solaiman was caught red-handed selling one transparent plastic sachet containing methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu, to a drug-enforcer who posed as a buyer.

“The buy-bust operation turned into a gunfight when Solaiman, armed with a gun, tried to elude arrest. He drew his pistol and opted to shoot it out with our agents that cost his life,” Cacdac said.