The lone gunman in the deadly Resorts World Manila incident that left 38 people dead, including the suspect, was a former government worker buried in debt, police said on Sunday.

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National Capital Region Police Office chief identified him as Jessie Javier Carlos, 42, a former employee of the Department of Finance stationed at the One Stop Shop.

The suspect was identified as a Filipino national contrary to reports that he could be a foreigner because of his looks.

Carlos was fired from his job for non-declaration/misdeclaration of his statements, assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

The suspect was a father of three children but was separated from his wife, Jen Carlos, due to a misunderstanding for his gambling habits. According to his immediate family, the suspect was buried in debt, and even sold his Ford Ranger due to his financial problems.

NCRPO Director Oscar Albayalde said Carlos had a bank account with an outstanding debt of P4 million, and several other non-bank related debt.

Authorities were able to speak to the suspect’s family early Sunday, confirming that the gunman was Carlos after a thorough review of the CCTV footage, photos and other pieces of evidence.

“In the interest of justice, members of his family are with us here today. They express their deepest sympathy to the families and friends of the victims and to the public in general,” Albayalde said.

Resorts World released the security footage of the incident on Saturday, backing the accounts of the witnesses.

The identification of the suspect only reveals that the incident was not a terrorist attack but a robbery case, according to Albayalde.

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“On this note, we also reiterate our prior statements that this is not an act of terrorism but this incident is confined to the act of one man alone as we have always said,” he said, reiterating that they won’t allow people or any threat group to use this situation to advance their propaganda.

The Islamic State earlier claimed responsibility for the incident./rga

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MOST READ </s> PRIME SUSPECT. NCRPO Director Oscar Albayalde holds a photo of suspect Jessie Carlos, the lone gunman in the June 2, 2017 Resorts World Manila attack, in a press conference at Remington Hotel, Pasay City on June 4, 2017. Photo by LeAnne Jazul/Rappler

MANILA, Philippines (5th UPDATE) – Police on Sunday, June 4, identified the suspect in the attack at Resorts World Manila as a former employee of the Department of Finance (DOF) who is "heavily in debt" due to casino gambling.

The lone gunman was identified as Jessie Carlos, 42 years old, said National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Oscar Albayalde in a press conference at the Remington Hotel – part of the Resorts World complex – on Sunday.

Carlos was previously assigned to the DOF's "One Stop Shop" office. He was discharged from his post for issues related to his Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth (SALN).

His identity was confirmed early Sunday morning by his estranged wife and his parents, according to the NCRPO chief. His parents and wife were at the press conference.

'High roller'

Albayalde said Carlos, a resident of Sta Cruz, Manila, was "heavily in debt" due to casino gambling.

Carlos – identified as a "high roller" who usually placed a minimum bet of P40,000 – is said to have P4 million in debt with banks, plus an undisclosed amount of non-bank-related debts, due to his gambling problem.

He also sold his car and a family property in Batangas to finance his gambling addiction.

Just last April 3, Carlos, who was said to be a regular at other casinos but not at Resorts World, was barred from entering all casinos by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) upon request of next-of-kin, Albayalde said. (READ: FAST FACTS: What you need to know about Resorts World Manila)

A 2014 press release from the DOF's Revenue Integrity Protection Service (RIPS) identified a "Jessie Javier Carlos" as a Tax Specialist of the One Stop Shop Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center.

The RIPS press release said the employee was dismissed from service by the Ombudsman "for failure to disclose truthfully all his assets" in his SALN.

Not mentally ill

GUNMAN'S KIN. NCRPO Director Oscar Albayalde presents the family of Jessie Carlos in a press conference at Remington Hotel, Pasay City on June 4, 2017. Photo by LeAnne Jazul/Rappler

Carlos' father Fernando confirmed his son was in financial trouble but that Carlos was not mentally ill. He also said they do not know where the gun used came from.

Albayalde again emphasized that the suspect acted alone, and that the incident is not terror-related.

"We also reiterate our prior statements that this is not an act of terrorism but this incident is confined to the act of one man alone as we have always said," he said.

"We have and will continue to base our pronouncements on facts and evidence properly gathered. We will not allow people or any threat group to use this situation to advance their propaganda or personal causes whether foreign or local," Albayalde added.

He added that this closes the terror angle in the probe of the incident. (WATCH: Rappler Talk: Raffy Alunan on Resorts World Manila attack and terrorism)

The Islamic State (ISIS) had earlier claimed responsibility for the Resorts World attack. President Rodrigo Duterte, however, said he doubts ISIS' claim. (READ: Terrorism and ISIS at Resorts World attack?)

Carlos' mother Teodora asked for forgiveness from the families of the victims of the attack, saying that their family is also a victim in the incident. (READ: From relief to despair: Brother of Resorts World victim recalls fretful wait)

The police also presented to the media the gasoline boy who sold to the suspect the 3 liters of gasoline used in burning parts of the hotel-casino, as well as the taxi driver who drove Carlos there.

The now-identified gunman stormed into the high-end casino complex in Pasay City past midnight last Friday, June 2, with an M4 automatic rifle and a bottle of gasoline, firing shots and setting gaming tables ablaze. (READ: Palace suspects negligence by Resorts World Manila)

The smoke from the fires caused 36 people to die and dozens more were injured in a stampede to escape. Carlos was found dead about 5 hours later in a hotel room after committing suicide by setting fire to himself, police said. (READ: Officials contradict each other on Resorts World Manila attack) – with a report from Agence France-Presse / Rappler.com </s> The lone gunman behind Friday's deadly attack on a casino in the Philippine capital has been identified as Jessie Carlos Javier, a 42-year old Filipino, police said.

MANILA: The lone gunman behind Friday's deadly attack on a casino in the Philippine capital has been identified as Jessie Carlos Javier, a 42-year old Filipino, police said.

"We have finally established the identity of the perpetrator," Oscar Albayalde, chief of the capital's police office, told a media briefing on Sunday.

"He is heavily indebted due to being hooked on casino gambling, according to his immediate family," Abayalde said, reiterating the attack was not a terrorist act.

The casino's CCTV showed the gunman firing shots at the ceiling and setting gaming tables ablaze. At least 36 people died. </s> MANILA, June 4 (Reuters) - The lone gunman behind Friday's deadly attack on a casino in the Philippine capital has been identified as Jessie Javier Carlos, a 42-year old Filipino, police said. "We have finally established the identity of the perpetrator," Oscar Albayalde, chief of the capital's police office, told a media briefing on Sunday. "He is heavily indebted due to being hooked on casino gambling, according to his immediate family," Albayalde said, reiterating the attack was not a terrorist act.

The casino's CCTV showed the gunman firing shots at the ceiling and setting gaming tables ablaze. At least 36 people died. (Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Kim Coghill) </s> Police are still trying to identify the lone gunman who attacked Resorts World Manila on June 2

MANILA, Philippines – Resorts World Manila has promised to give financial assistance to families of those killed during a “lone wolf” attack on the posh entertainment complex.



In a prepared statement read to media on Saturday, June 3, Resorts World Manila Chief Operating Officer Stephen Reilly said the company will give P1 million to each of the families of the victims. 



Some 37 employees and guests were trapped on the 2nd floor of the casino, where VIP guests stay. The gunman, whom police had yet to identify, set ablaze gaming tables as he made his way across the casino, producing thick smoke that suffocated the victims. 



Bureau of Fire Protection National Capital Region (BFP NCR) chief Senior Superintendent Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu said that based on studies, it takes just minutes for a person to lose consciousness and eventually die from suffocation when trapped inside a burning room. 



Resorts World management will also provide funeral and burial assistance to the victims, said Reilly. 



“Nothing can ever replace the lives of our loved ones. Yesterday, we all lost so many lives because of a senseless act,” he said. 



Relatives of the casualties had earlier lamented the apparent lack of support from the Resorts World. (READ: TIMELINE: Resorts World Manila attack)



The attack was likely an attempted robbery, police insisted, though terror group ISIS had claimed responsibility for the attack. (READ: Terrorism and ISIS at Resorts World Attack?)

Metro Manila police chief Director Oscar Albayalde said none of the evidence, so far, would suggest that was an act of terror. Malacañang reiterated this on Saturday, as it brushed aside the ISIS claim. 



After a brief encounter with casino security and the police, the gunman forced open a hotel room and set the hallway and his room on fire. He eventually shot himself with his M4 rifle. (READ: Officials contradict each other on Resorts World Manila attack)



Police are still trying to identify the gunman, who was described as tall, “mestizo (fair-skinned).” Contrary to earlier statements, police said on June 3 that the gunman was apparently fluent in Filipino. 



Police had earlier spoken to the taxi driver who brought the gunman to the Resorts World Manila complex. Authorities first claimed that the gunman drove himself to the establishment. (READ: Casino targeted with suicide attack because it's 'haram' – ISIS)



Maxims Hotel and Resorts World remain closed to the public. – Rappler.com </s> Thirty-four bodies have been found inside Resorts World Manila, which was attacked by a lone gunman in the early hours of Friday morning, according to a local official.

The victims did not appear to have been shot, but indications were that they had suffocated, Bureau of Fire Protection, Southern Police District Director P/Supt. Tomas Apolinario said in an interview that aired on local media Friday.

“Most of the victims were women who were found dead inside the bathroom,” Apolinario said.

The armed suspect forced his way into the Resorts World Manila casino around midnight local time, and starting shooting at gambling machines and setting tables on fire, according to witnesses and police.

Video showed panicked guests running for the exits, the sound of gunshots and smoke coming from the upper floors of buildings.

Hours later, police confirmed the gunman had committed suicide by setting himself on fire in one of the hotel guest rooms. He was found in the room, burned beyond recognition, next to a machine gun and a .380 calibre pistol, CNN Philippines reported.

“The lone gunman committed suicide by setting himself on fire in one of the rooms on the fifth floor of the Resort World Hotel,” the National Capitol Region Police Chief Oscar Albayalde told reporters in Manila Friday.

Resorts World Manila, also known as RWM, is a resort complex in Newport City, a residential and commercial center in metropolitan Manila.

The complex, which is described on RWM’s website as “the first and largest integrated resort in the Philippines,” is across from Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

In a statement posted to its Facebook page Friday, the resort said it had “extended medical assistance to the 54 individuals who were taken to nearby hospitals.”

Its security team, along with the Bureau of Fire Protection, were currently conducting “search and rescue operations on all floors,” the statement said.

Hundreds of guests and employees rushed out of the resort hotel around midnight Thursday (noon ET) after the masked gunman on the second floor began shooting a gun, hotel employees fleeing the scene told CNN Philippines.

Jay Dones, a witness on the scene, said some employees had told him a gunman fired shots in the air.

“One of the employees told me that the suspect began pouring the contents of the bottle on one of the tables and lit it on fire,” Dones said.

Witnesses also told about hearing what sounded like explosions.

“I could smell some kind of smoke that came from an explosive device,” said Tikos Low, who said he was in the resort’s casino along with a few hundred other people, when the attack began.

The resort was put on lockdown and heavily armed SWAT officers wearing bulletproof vests and body armor descended on the scene.

The gunman didn’t appear to be firing at people, said Philippines National Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa early Friday, as he announced that police weren’t treating the incident as terror-related.

“It’s too early to tell, but so far as we are concerned there was no ISIS,” Dela Rosa said. “If this is ISIS, all the people gambling inside should have been shot or already been bombed. He didn’t hurt anyone. Those who were injured got their injuries when they jumped from the windows,” he added.

The man ransacked a room and stole gaming chips, Dela Rosa said. He had stuffed chips totaling 113 million pesos ($2.3 million) in a backpack, but this had been recovered by police, he added.

Dela Rosa added that the suspect appeared to be Caucasian and had a mustache.

All terminals at Ninoy Aquino International Airport were placed on lockdown because of the attack, according to Robert Echano with airport operations. The airport is about a mile away from the resort.

Later the airport returned to normal operations but was on heightened alert, an airport official said.

In Quezon City, one of the municipalities in metro Manila, Police District Director Guillermo Eleazar ordered all 12 police stations in the city to set up checkpoints and to maximize police visibility.

All mobile patrol units and tactical motorized units of QCPD were deployed to secure the city.

The Philippines has been grappling with incidents of terrorism, especially on the southern island of Mindanao. There, in the city of Marawi, government forces have been battling ISIS-linked militants for control of the city.

The battle for Marawi, a largely Muslim city, has displaced at least 70,000 residents and left 140 people dead. The terrorist siege began last week, just as Muslims worldwide started to mark the holy month of Ramadan.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law over the island of Mindanao in light of the crisis.

Duterte also suggested he might extend martial law through year’s end or impose it nationwide, alarming critics. On Friday, Dela Rosa ruled out declaring martial law on the main island of Luzon, where Manila is located. </s> ROLANDO Espinosa became the second town mayor killed amid the government’s bloody anti-drug campaign, shot dead in his jail cell early Saturday — police claimed — after firing at operatives serving a search warrant.

The Interior and Local Government department immediately called for an investigation into the brazen killing, which the Palace described as “unfortunate.”

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Espinosa, mayor of Albuera, Leyte, and another inmate, identified as Raul Yap, were killed in a shootout with police around 4 a.m. Saturday inside the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail in Barangay Hispungo, Baybay City, Leyte.

PNP spokesman Sr. Supt. Dionardo Carlos said a team of operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) led by Chief Insp. Leo Laraga were out to implement search warrants for illegal drugs and firearms against the two inmates.

The warrants were issued by Judge Tarcelo Sabarre Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 30 in Basey, Samar.

“He (Espinosa) fired on the raiding team. The raiding team fired back and this led to the mayor’s death,” Laraga told AFP.

Yap, also accused of drug trafficking, was likewise killed after he too fired at the officers, Laraga said.

Carlos said in a statement: “Both Espinosa and Yap succumbed to gunshot wounds as a result of the encounter.”

The Interior department, citing initial reports, said police recovered one caliber Super .38 and a magazine with live ammunition from Espinosa’s cell, and one caliber .45 and a magazine with live ammunition from Yap’s cell.

Police were also said to have found one sachet of “suspected shabu” and drug paraphernalia in the cells of Espinosa and Yap.

Radio station DZMM reported, quoting the Leyte provincial administrator, that closed-circuit television footage of the jail was missing.

Internal probe ordered

 As a matter of procedure, the incident will be investigated, he said.

“This incident will undergo investigation to establish the facts and circumstances surrounding the said incident,” Carlos said.

The PNP spokesman said the Eastern Visayas Police Office under Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar had formed a panel that will look into the incident.

The Regional Internal Affairs Service of the PNP in Eastern Visayas will also conduct its own investigation.

Carlos pointed out that the Leyte Sub-Provincial Jail is administered and managed by the provincial government of Leyte.

Tagged by Duterte

 Albuera’s death followed that of Mayor Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi Ampatuan in Maguindanao, who was killed along with his bodyguards at a checkpoint in North Cotabato on October 28.

In August, President Rodrigo Duterte accused Espinosa and his son Kerwin of drug trafficking and demanded they turn themselves in, giving police a “shoot on sight” order if the two resisted arrest.

Mayor Espinosa then surrendered to the national police chief, saying he feared for his life, and was arrested on October 5 over charges of possessing illegal drugs and weapons.

PNP Chief Ronald de la Rosa previously said Espinosa had been listed in official records as a “drug protector,” whose son Kerwin controlled the narcotics trade in the Albuera region.

Kerwin was arrested in the United Arab Emirates last month and is set to return to the Philippines to face drug trafficking charges.

In August, six of the Espinosas’ supporters died in a gunfight with police outside the mayor’s property in Albuera where officers said they recovered guns and several grenades.

‘Unfortunate’

 Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said he would wait for the results of the probe before issuing commentary.

“Right now it’s really under investigation so wala po tayong actual na komentaryo patungkol diyan [so we cannot give an actual comment on that],” Abella told government-run dzRB radio.

“Investigation is now ongoing but initial reports indicate that the former mayor was killed while being served a search warrant,” Andanar said in a text message to reporters.

Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno said that while Espinosa and Yap were high-profile inmates linked to the illegal drug trade, it was necessary for the police to adhere to their operations manual and respect the rights of the suspects, “unless their lives are endangered.”

“It is unfortunate that this operation led to this (death of the inmates), but of course, we also do not want our people (policemen) to be the one lying dead in the course of doing their job,” he said in a statement. </s> The Caloocan police's initial investigation report states 17-year-old Kian delos Santos fired shots first, then was killed after being chased by police

MANILA, Philippines – Police involved in the killing of 17-year-old Kian Loyd delos Santos maintain that he fought back.

According to the Caloocan police's consolidated initial investigation report obtained by Rappler, cops were only forced to retaliate during the raid that claimed Delos Santos' life, which was part of the cops' one-time, big-time operation.

As told by PO3 Arnel Oares, it all happened at around 8:45 pm of August 16 with an 11-man team from Caloocan Police Community Precinct 7 (PCP-7) conducting an anti-drug and anti-crime operation at Block 7, Riverside, in Barangay 160.

Oares said they "divided themselves into groups" to cover more ground.

Oares, PO1 Jerwin Cruz, PO1 Jeremias Pereda, and a civilian informant formed "one of the groups that crossed the basketball court." Other groups were tasked to cover other narrow passages.

Oares and his team entered an alley "on the right portion" of the court and "subsequently turned left."

In that lane, they were met "by several male persons who were scampering away after sensing the operation."

Oares said in the report that they were "prompted to go after" the men, starting a chase.

He said they identified themselves as cops but the men did not stop.

As they reached the end of the path, described by Oares as "a narrow road blocked by a concrete fence bordering Valenzuela City by [the] Tullahan River," shots were fired "from their left side."

He said the shots got them ducking, but they "managed to spot the retreating male person."

Oares then chased the gunman. The cop said he was "prompted to return fire" to prevent further aggression, and ended up killing the gunman.

Recovered from the scene were 4 fired cartridge cases, a caliber .45 pistol, and two transparent plastic sachets containing white crystalline substances believed to be shabu.

The next day, PCP-7 conducted another operation along Tullahan Road, Apple Ville, Barangay 162, resulting in the arrest of a certain Renato Lovares and "3 other drug personalities."

Lovares apparently told police that Delos Santos "receives 10 grams of shabu daily," sometimes handed to him by a certain Jeslyn Escopin, daughter of arrested drug suspect Jessie Escopin.

The police report added that a background investigation on Saldy delos Santos, Kian's father, revealed that he was "involved in criminal activities in the past."

Despite accusations against the Delos Santos family, however, Metro Manila police chief Director Oscar Albayalde said they are focusing primarily on the allegation that the younger Delos Santos was a victim of an extrajudicial killing.

Based on CCTV footage and eyewitness reports, Delos Santos was unarmed, but given a gun by the police and coerced to run and shoot.

With doubts surrounding the narrative of Oares and his team, they have been placed under the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit – the unit where cops report daily when they are suspended.

Their supervisor, Police Chief Inspector Amor Cerillo, was also relieved and assigned to the holding unit.

The case of Delos Santos has sparked outrage in the country, with many believing there was foul play.

The cops are facing a probe by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Internal Affairs Service (IAS), but separate investigations are also being conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

Senators allied with President Rodrigo Duterte are also calling for an inquiry into Delos Santos' death and the other recent killings in Duterte's war on drugs. – Rappler.com </s> (CNN) Thirty-seven people have been killed in a Manila casino, following an attack in the early hours of Friday morning by a lone gunman who fired shots from an assault rifle and set fire to gambling tables.

The victims, who did not appear to have been shot, are thought to have died of suffocation, Southern Police District Director Superintendent Tomas Apolinario said Friday. "Most of the victims were women who were found dead inside the bathroom," he added.

Despite ongoing ISIS-affiliated militant activity in the southern Philippines island of Mindanao, authorities ruled out terrorism as the motive for the attack. However, late Friday, ISIS claimed responsibility in a statement from its Amaq media wing , which said "Islamic State fighters" carried out the attack.

Earlier, authorities said 35 bodies were found in the casino area in Resorts World Manila after a lone gunman fired shots and set fire to gambling tables in the early hours of Friday morning.

Police told CNN Philippines that another two bodies were found in the hotel, although it was not mentioned whether these were hotel guests or employees

Thick smoke from fires set by the suspect delayed a search of the building, but officers later discovered them during clearing operations, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Oscar Albayalde said.

All of the bodies were found in Resort World Manila's casino area, he said. Of those killed, more than 20 were resort guests and 13 were staff. More than 70 people were injured. The gunman later killed himself.

Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde told reporters that police think it's likely the suspect was a foreigner. "He looks Caucasian, he talks English, he's big and he's white, so he's probably a foreigner," he said.

How the attack unfolded

The armed suspect forced his way into the Resorts World Manila (RWM), an upmarket hotel and casino complex near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, around midnight local time (Thursday ET).

According to security footage viewed by police, the gunman entered via the parking lot. Police later searched a car and found registration information which they haven't made public.

The attacker walked straight into the building, past a lone security guard who panicked when she saw the suspect's automatic rifle, Albayalde said.

Reilly said only guards on the complex's perimeter are armed. Internal security officers don't carry weapons, and didn't try to engage the suspect, fearing escalation of the situation, he said.

Video of the scenes showed guests frantically running for the exits, the sound of gunshots and smoke coming from the upper floors of buildings.

Photos: Shooting at Philippines resort Relatives of a victim sit in front of the Resorts World Hotel, a popular tourist site in Manila, the capital of the Philippines that was on lockdown after a shooting on June 2, 2017. A police official said the incident was a robbery attempt by one person and not a terrorist attack. Hide Caption 1 of 10 Photos: Shooting at Philippines resort Firemen break a glass window of the Resorts World Hotel following the assault. Hide Caption 2 of 10 Photos: Shooting at Philippines resort Firemen arrive at the Resorts World Hotel. Hide Caption 3 of 10 Photos: Shooting at Philippines resort A police officer stands guard outside the resort. Hide Caption 4 of 10 Photos: Shooting at Philippines resort Smoke rises from the resort complex, which has an array of hotels, restaurants and bars. Hide Caption 5 of 10 Photos: Shooting at Philippines resort Police take positions outside the resort. Hide Caption 6 of 10 Photos: Shooting at Philippines resort A victim is stretchered away from the scene. Hide Caption 7 of 10 Photos: Shooting at Philippines resort It was not immediately clear how many people were hurt in the attack, which started around midnight on Thursday, June 1. Stephen Reilly, the resort's chief operating officer, later told reporters that about 30 people were hurt and nobody was killed, CNN Philippines reported. Hide Caption 8 of 10 Photos: Shooting at Philippines resort A victim is helped at the resort. Hide Caption 9 of 10 Photos: Shooting at Philippines resort Emergency responders tend to a victim. Hide Caption 10 of 10

The man ransacked a room and stole gaming chips, Philippines National Police Chief Ronald Dela Rosa said early Friday. He had stuffed chips totaling 113 million pesos ($2.3 million) in a backpack, but this had been recovered by police, he added.

Apolinario confirmed that during the incident the gunman had engaged in a "firefight" with casino employees.

Stephen Reilly, the resort's Chief Operating Officer, said the attacker was shot and wounded by security guards, and retreated into the hotel room where he doused a bed he was lying on in gasoline and shot himself.

"We would like to extend our gratitude to our security team," Reilly said.

"He had taken his own life by setting himself on fire followed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound," the statement said. Police confirmed he had died in a room on the fifth floor of the complex's hotel.

CNN Philippines reported he was found in the room, burned beyond recognition, next to an automatic weapon and a .380 caliber pistol.

Emergency responders tend to a victim Friday at the Resorts World Manila.

Witness: 'I could smell some kind of smoke'

Hundreds of guests and employees rushed out of the resort hotel after the gunman began shooting on the second floor, hotel employees fleeing the scene told CNN Philippines.

Jay Dones, a witness on the scene, said some employees had told him a gunman fired shots in the air.

"One of the employees told me that the suspect began pouring the contents of the bottle on one of the tables and lit it on fire," Dones said.

Witnesses also told about hearing what sounded like explosions.

"I could smell some kind of smoke that came from an explosive device," said Tikos Low, who said he was in the resort's casino along with a few hundred other people when the attack began.

The resort was put on lockdown and heavily armed SWAT officers wearing bulletproof vests and body armor descended on the scene.

The gunman didn't appear to be firing at people, said PNP Chief Dela Rosa.

Soldiers stand in front of the Resorts World Hotel following an attack in Manila on June 2, 2017.

Airport locked down

All terminals at Ninoy Aquino International Airport were placed on lockdown because of the attack, according to Robert Echano with airport operations. The airport is about a mile away from the resort.

Later the airport returned to normal operations but was on heightened alert, an airport official said.

Security remains on "high alert" status, a statement from the airport said.

In Quezon City, one of the municipalities in metro Manila, Police District Director Guillermo Eleazar ordered all 12 police stations in the city to set up checkpoints and to maximize police visibility.
The Philippine police identifies the lone gunman as Jessie Javier Carlos, a local citizen, who was a debt-riddled former employee of the Department of Finance.