Watchmen right in not engaging Jessie Carlos when he entered Resorts World—police exec

The security guards of Resorts World Manila did the right thing when they chose not to engage gunman Jessie Carlos when he entered the hotel and casino early Friday morning, PNP-SOSIA director Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino indicated on Thursday.

Citing the agency's Mall Security Manual dated March 2014, Espino said the guards of NC Lanting Security Specialist Inc. manning Resort World were somehow correct when they did not engage Carlos when they first saw him

"Kung may baril man 'yun, nakalagay sa standard procedure response na do not engage. (Nakalagay) sa manual namin," Espino told reporters.

"Do not engage so as not to cause panic," he added.

He said a firearm served as a deterrent to criminals.

“Kung may baril ka man deterrent ‘yun but when a situation arises, hindi mo gagamitin. Very clear sa amin, sa standard response, the security personnel should not take action that would put his clients in danger,” Espino said.

Espino, however, pointed to a possible lapse on the part of the watchmen.

“Tama lang din ang ginawa ng mga guard  na inobserve niya sino yun, niradyo, call the police. ‘Yun nga lang hindi nila madetermine pa kung sino ang tumawag sa pulis," Espino said.

"‘Yung isa tumawag sa security, tumawag sa 8002 emergency hotlines  ng mga hotel, after n’un sino ang tumawag sa pulis? ‘Yun ang ipa-find out natin,” he added.

At the time of the incident, only security officer Mary Grace Rayala was at the entrance.

She was the lady guard who tried to stop Carlos from entering the hotel. She, however, ran away when the gunman showed her his firearm.

Roving security guard, Edwin Ciriaco, said he tried to approach the suspect but the latter pointed the gun at him.

“Nakita ko po na yung Uzi niya tapos ako pasalubong kaya mabilis ‘yung lakad ko palapit sa para i-caution siya pero hindi ako nakalapit tinutukan na po ako kaya nakakubli ako sa poste," Ciriaco said.

"Hindi na po ako nakalapit dahil nakatutok yung dala niya,” he added.

Ciriaco said that when he hid at the post, he pulled out his firearm to engage the suspect but returned it at the holster when he saw the many people dining at the restaurant behind the suspect.

He said he was carrying a 9mm firearm at the  time.

“Sa pagkubli ko binunot ko yung dala ko, tinignan ko maraming tao sa kabila kumakain sa restaurant," Ciriaco said.

"Ang ginawa ko binalik ko ‘yung dala ko tapos nagradyo ako ng responde, tinawagan ko ‘yung mga SRT (special reaction team) namin sa baba upang magresponde sa taas tapos tinawagan ko ‘yung security control namin,” he added.

Asked if he was scared because of the gunman, Ciriaco said he was not but he decided not to engage because of the civilians.

“Hindi po ako natakot, nung tignan ko ang paligid maraming tao. ‘Pag pinutukan ko yun, pwedeng lahat ng makasalubong pagbabarilin agad. ‘Yun lang po ang nasa isip ko n’un,” Ciriaco said.

Espino said the procedure was not to engage the armed man but identify him and evacuate the client if there is really a need to engage the suspect.

However, he said the issue ultimately points to the adequate training of security guards.

“Babalik uli, ganun ba ang training sa guards? ‘Yan ang problema ko ngayon, our security guards are not trained properly, lahat naman may training pero they need more,” Espino said. —NB, GMA News