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Solon highlights possible police, private security lapses in Resorts World attack


A congressman saw lapses committed by both the police and security officers during the Resorts World Manila attack on June 2, which left 38 people dead.

Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas said at the resumption of the inquiry on the attack on Wednesday said that he was able to obtain copy of a Facebook Live video of the incident.

"I have a video here, a guy on Facebook Live. He was [taking] a video of the whole incident from the time it started. Takbo mga bato, dating mga pulis, ambulance, SWAT at 12:36 a.m.. In the video, sabi ng mga tao na lumalabas doon, mag-isang gunman ang nandoon," Fariñas said.

He said policemen and private security forces could have already stormed the casino area and neutralize the lone gunman at the casino area with the information.

"Very early iyon. Alam ng whole world na nanonood sa Facebook na 'yon lang," he said.

He said the police could have also done what the Facebook user had done, set up a command post and screen or interview all of the people running out from the casino to get a picture of "the threat inside."

He added that police and security officials of Resort World Manila  should have  established a holding area for all the people running out of the hotel-casino to determine if Carlos had other accomplices and prevent them from escaping.

Fariñas pointed the police these kind of preemptive procedure can even be seen in movies.

Police had said that at first, people thought terrorists stormed the hotel-casino but later said there was only one attacker, casino gambling addict Jessie Carlos, who was not a terrorist.

Fariñas also cited that the private security personnel manning the casino area and the perimeter area could have also acted accordingly, but failed to prevent the incident from blowing out of proportion that led to the deaths of several people.

Among those who died during the attack was a wife of a congressman.

"Doon pa lang na-monitor na [ang gunman was on the] upper floor. You could have cleared the second floor," he said, referring to the CCTV recordings presented by Resorts World Manila at the start of the hearing.

The CCTV recordings showed that the gunman went up to the fifth floor after torching gaming tables at the casino area on the second floor.

"Na-save sana ang mga 37 na namatay sa baba na wala nang threat doon. The police could have easily found out kung nag-usap kayo," he added.

As Fariñas grilled the security personnel of the hotel and private security firm Lanting, it was learned that the security force were armed with six AK-47, two M4 rifles and two shotguns.

The gunman was armed with an M4 rifle and a gallon of gasoline.

A security officer from Lanting, who was supervising more than 60 security guards at the hotel's perimeter, told the congressman that they exchanged fire with the gunman.

However, he said they could not fully engage Carlos considering the safety of civilians. —ALG, GMA News

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