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Police have said they are looking for a second "person of interest".  The masked gunman was found dead in a hotel room having set himself on fire, according to the police.  Manila TV suggests that most of those killed in the attack died of suffocation after the attacker set fire to the gaming tables in the casino in the Philippine capital Manilla on Friday.  It is believed the man was a gambling addict who went “crazy” and attempted to rob a casino, causing mass panic, police revealed. 

GETTY Police killed the gunman in Manila

Ernesto Abella, a spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte, said that there was no evidence to link the attack to fighting between government troops and Islamist militants in the south of the country.  He said: "All indications point to a criminal act by an apparently emotionally disturbed individual. " Although the perpetrator gave warning shots, there apparently was no indication that he wanted to do harm or shoot anyone." 

AFP Firemen break a glass window of the Resorts World Hotel following an assault in Manila

National police chief, Ronald de la Rosa, initially described the gunman as “foreign-looking, a Caucasian, about six feet tall” and said he spoke English.  He claimed the lone gunman had entered the gaming area at Resorts World, fired at a television and set some gambling tables on fire.  Police later changed their description of the attacker to saying he appeared to be a Filipino, although they added that they were still trying to establish his nationality.  Several people were reportedly injured as they fled the hotel in panic. 

Shocking images depict Philippines' war on drugs Mon, March 20, 2017 Warning: Graphic content.  Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared a war on crime and drugs after winning the presidential elections on May 9, 2016.  Several thousands of people have been killed since his inauguration Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 12 Inmates watch as drug suspects are processed inside a police station on October 12, 2016 in Manila, Philippines

Police confirmed that the gunman killed himself soon after the attack and said that they were now looking for a second “person of interest” who is believed to be a Philippine national.  The body of the suspected gunman was found at dawn this morning in a hotel room in the smouldering complex, which is located near to Ninoy Aquino International Airport and an air force base, police said.  Oscar Albayalde, chief of the capital's police office, said those that died were in the casino's main gaming area.  Mr Albayalde said: "What caused their deaths is the thick smoke.  The room was carpeted and of course the tables, highly combustible." 

AFP Relatives wait anxiously for news at the casino

Jeff Santos, a high roller at Resorts World Manila, said: “Even the security personnel panicked.  Maybe because of the heavy firearm, they can't put up a fight so they prioritised life and safety. “ Definitely us patrons we did not expect that, everyone ran away.”  The police chief told local radio station DAM the gunman had filled a bag with casino gambling chips. 

EPA Members of a family wait for latest news about their missing relative

Mr de la Rosa said: “Don't panic, this is not a cause for alarm.  We cannot attribute this to terrorism. “ We are looking into a robbery angle because he did not hurt any people and went straight to the casino chips storage room. “ He parked at the second floor and barged into the casino, shooting large TV screens and poured gasoline on a table setting it on fire.” 

GETTY A fire in the hotel was started by the gunman

Resorts World Manila Chief Operating Officer Stephen Reilly said casino security guards had shot and wounded the gunman - armed with what authorities described as a "baby armalite" - during the attack. " Severe loss of blood from the gunshot wound significantly slowed down the assailant and resulted to his holing up in the room where he took his own life," Reilly said.  One survivor of the attack, Magdalena Ramos, said that initially it was believed to have been a militant attack.  The 57-year-old said people began shouting "ISIS!  ISIS!"  when the gunfire began.  Ms Ramos said that she initially hid in a kitchen before fleeing the complex when the smoke became suffocating. 

EPA Stephen Reilley, Chief Operating Officer of the Resorts World Manila hotel and casino complex

A statement issued by Resorts World Manilla said: "It is with deep regret we can confirm that there were 35 casualties in this tragic incident, of which 13 are employees and 22 who are guests. " The identities of two employees and four guests are still being validated as of this time.  We are doing our very bet to inform the families of the victims.  We are extending all forms of assistance to the affected next of kin.  We are one in mourning wit the families of those affected by this tragedy. " This is also a very difficult time for all of us here in Resorts World Manilla.  We consider our guests, patrons and employees as our family. " We are sharing the list fo the confirmed fatalities." 

GETTY Government forces reacted quickly to the incident

But he warned that Islamist militants might falsely claim to be behind it to further their propaganda.  The Filippino military is currently battling militants allied to ISIS on the southern island of Mindanao.  Gun shots and explosions rang out from the entertainment resort in the Philippine capital Manila and local media reported an armed man was inside the complex. 

GETTY The police moved quickly to lock down the casino as the public injured themselves in a stampede

Pictures released on Twitter show terrified tourists running for their lives away from the scene as smoke billows from a nearby building.  Footage posted on social media shows screaming hotel guests fleeing for their lives as gunshots are heard.  The resort is located opposite the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 – one of the busiest airport terminals in the country.  Robert Echano a spokesman for airport operations at Ninoy Aquino International Airport said had been closed to protect the public from the attack.