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TACURONG CITY (MindaNews / 18 Feb) – What was supposed to be a serving of an arrest warrant by a combined police force in the municipality of Datu Paglas in Maguindanao turned into a bloody firefight when the subject of the warrant opened fire to law enforcement officers.
Yusoph Kusain, alias Kumander TMX, was immediately killed, still holding his M-16 Armalite rifle when he was neutralized around 4 p.m. Monday in Barangay Madidis of the said town, police said.
Two of the assaulting policemen were wounded during the short firefight, police said.
Senior Supt. Rodelio Jocson, Maguindanao police director, said the suspect faced multiple murder and murder cases.
A joint operation of the Maguindanao police, Special Action Force, Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission under Special Project Mindanao initiated the operation.
MindaNews sources said the suspect was involved in kidnapping and carnapping activities in Southwestern Mindanao.
Mayor Tong Paglas said the slain suspect is a resident of the municipality of Sultan Sa Barongis but just landed in his town because he happened to marry a resident of Datu Paglas.
Paglas also said he got information that a policeman was killed during the exchange of fire.
“Our ambulance has brought a government casualty in a nearby government hospital in North Cotabato province,” Paglas said. But this reported casualty was denied by Maguindanao police.