RESEARCH STUDY ON THE RESORTS WORLD MANILA,

PASAY, PHILIPPINES FIRE TRAGEDY

A Group Research Study Presented to Prof. Aloveel Ferrer of Philippine

National Police Academy, Camp Castañeda, Silang Cavite

In Partial Compliance of the Requirements with the Performance Tasks on

the Subject of Fire Code of the Philippines (RA 9514).

Submitted By:

Cdt 2CL Millen Charles-Vincent M. Reyes

Cdt 2CL Raven V. Payang
Cdt 2CL Mcheal T. Pay-an

September 2021
 RESEARCH STUDY ON THE RESORTS WORLD MANILA,
PASAY, PHILIPPINES FIRE TRAGEDY

A Group Research Study Presented to Prof. Aloveel Ferrer of Philippine

National Police Academy, Camp Castañeda, Silang Cavite

In Partial Compliance of the Requirements with the Performance Tasks on

the Subject of Fire Code of the Philippines (RA 9514).

Submitted By:

Cdt 2CL Millen Charles-Vincent M. Reyes

Cdt 2CL Raven V. Payang
Cdt 2CL Mcheal T. Pay-an

September 2021
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page

TITLE PAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 3

INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

a. Introduction and Background of the Study . . . . . . . . .. 4-5

b. Significance of the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 6-8
c. Definition of Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... . . . . . . 9-11

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES AND

STUDIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..

a. Related Local Literatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12

b. Related Local Studies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 13

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS,

AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

a. Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 14
b. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 15
c. Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . 16

REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 17

a. Documentary Photos of the Incidents . . . . . . . . . . . .. 18 – 19

CURICULUM VITAE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 20 - 22

 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

On 2 June 2017, dozens of people at the Resorts World Manila entertainment complex

in Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines were killed or injured when a gunman caused a

stampede and set fire to casino tables and slot machine chairs around midnight. The

gunman moved to a storage area to steal casino chips from the venue, but later

committed suicide following a confrontation with the responding police. All of the attack's

deaths and injuries resulted from the initial stampede and smoke inhalation from the

fire. While initial suspicions strongly pointed towards a terrorist attack, with affiliates of

the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) claiming responsibility, representatives of

the Philippine National Police consistently maintained that the motive was likely robbery.

Evidence eventually confirmed that the attack was financially motivated, and was

committed by Jessie Javier Carlos, a debt-ridden former civil servant.

A gunman carrying bottled gasoline and an M4 Bushmaster rifle entered the Resorts

World Manila casino's second floor for high rollers. The gunman reportedly wore a

mask, and did not utter any words or battle cries before opening fire with his rifle. The

gunfire caused mass panic, and in the evacuation some guests were injured by a

stampede. People hearing the initial shots immediately fled from the first and second

floors of the building, but some retreated deeper into the building for cover. Reports of

an active shooter in the restaurant below the 2nd floor casino soon followed the initial

gunfire. In the evacuated gambling floor of the casino the gunman doused the felt
linings of poker tables and cushioned slot machine chairs with petrol, then ignited them

with a hand-held lighter. The gunman proceeded to break into a safe room by shooting

out the locks of secured doors with his rifle, taking 113 million pesos (US$2.3 million)

worth of gambling chips. Despite no one being directly injured by the suspect's gunfire,

the burning casino furniture produced toxic smoke that caused at least 36 reported

deaths from smoke inhalation as fumes overcame the crowd; among them were

Elizabeth Panlilio Gonzales, wife of Pampanga Rep. Aurelio D. Gonzales, Jr., Eleuterio

Reyes, husband of actress Azenith Briones, and one South Korean man who suffered a

fatal heart attack. Southern Police District Director Superintendent Tomas Apolinario

stated that all of the bodies were found within the casino area, most of which were

women located within the building's bathroom. 54 were initially reported injured,

including a security guard who accidentally shot himself in panic; the final injury count

was eventually raised to 70.

A SWAT team had responded in a raid of the mall and casino premises. Following a

confrontation with one of the SWAT units at a stairwell, shots were fired, the gunman

was suspected to be wounded, and the gunman fled upwards to Maxims Tower, one of

the complex's hotels. The gunman shot open the door of Room 510 of the hotel, lit a fire

at the corridor, and committed suicide by setting himself on fire in Room 510 and

shooting himself in the head. The gunman's bag containing the stolen chips was

recovered in a toilet. His rifle, with its serial number filed out, was also recovered

alongside a .380 Tanfoglio pistol with an intact serial number (#AA04282).

 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Soon after the incident, Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa issued official

statements regarding the attack, describing the attack as being perpetrated by a single shooter,

refuting prior eyewitnesses' statements that there were two gunmen, and that the motive was to steal

chips from the casino area of the resort complex, clearing the casino of all employees and guests

with warning shots and setting the casino room ablaze as a distraction or smoke screen. Dela Rosa

would also confirm that while no one was injured by gunfire from the suspect, the burning tables and

chair stuffing produced poisonous smoke that killed at least 36 people with many others injured by

the smoke and stampede.

The suspect fled the casino and meandered throughout the complex before isolating himself in a

hotel room where, according to Dela Rosa: "He lay down on the bed, covered himself with a thick

blanket, apparently poured gasoline on the blanket and burned himself". The Philippine National

Police probed any possible security lapses that may have allowed the gunman to enter the

premises. Blood samples left behind by the bleeding suspect were also collected from a stairwell

leading to the Room 510 and an autopsy was conducted to identify the suspect's body, which had

been burned beyond recognition. During preliminary investigations, Chief Superintendent Oscar

Albay Alde stated the police suspected the lone assailant might have been a male white person of a

tall height and a fluent English-speaker, and had likely set the casino tables and furniture on fire as a

diversion while he committed the robbery.

On 3 June, the authorities released CCTV footage of the incident that extensively depicted the

progression of events. The gunman had arrived at the casino in a taxi, which driver was later

interviewed revealing that the gunman hailed for him at San Lazaro and spoke fluent Tagalog, but

disputes the allegation that the suspect was shot in the leg during the initial standoff with the SWAT

by claiming that the suspect was already limping when he exited the taxi to enter the casino (the

suspect was later revealed in an autopsy to not be wounded by gunfire in the leg).The footage

shows the initial moment when gunfire prompted shoppers, guests, and gamblers to rush for exits

and cover, the gunman dousing flammable poker tables and slot machine chairs with gasoline and

igniting them, the robbery itself, the gunfight, and the suspect's retreat to the hotel room.

The footage also revealed that the suspect unmasked after hiding at the base of the hotel stairwell,

revealing his face as he looked directly at one of the cameras during his flight upstairs. Further

investigation of public CCTVs in Manila revealed that the suspect acquired three liters of gasoline

from a local refueling station around 11:19 pm before boarding the taxi to the casino. On 4 June,

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) identified the lone gunman as Jessie Javier Carlos,

42, a Filipino citizen who resided in Santa Cruz, and a former employee of the Department of

Finance Initially employed as a tax specialist at a One-Stop Shop Tax Credit and Duty Drawback

Center, Carlos was dismissed from the Department of Finance in 2012 by the Office of the

Ombudsman after the department's Revenue Integrity Protection Service discovered non-

declarations/misdeclarations on his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN);

Carlos was accused of failing to disclose that he had disproportionately more wealth in assets than

his accumulated salary permits, including a Manila property worth 1.1 million pesos (US$22,273)

and a two-hectare farm in Tanauan, Batangas that he acquired in 2010 for 4 million pesos

(US$81,000). The court proceedings lasted for years and provided extensive insight into Carlos'

further business dealings, including his supposedly dormant gun dealing business, Armset Trading,
which existed under his wife's name, and his involvement in the mining business in 2009, when he

earned 100,000 pesos (US$2,000) pesos a month as an intermediary during a gold

rush in Murugesan, Compostela Valley. Police investigation revealed that Carlos was an avid

gambler, often betting large sums of money, and cited his gambling addiction as the primary reason

for his mounting personal problems and his eventual motivation to rob a casino. He actively

participated in cockfight betting since 2006, and was last active in the scene in Tanauan, where he

bred and sold fighting cocks at his farm.

To further his gambling, he sold the farm in November 2016 for half of the asking price of 10 million

pesos (US$200,755) alongside some of the fighting cocks he reared. His gambling habits had also

led to his separation from his wife and three children and further attempts to sell off private

possessions, including his personal vehicle and his home. Carlos had also reportedly owned the M4

rifle that he used in the attack, purportedly as a status symbol during his ownership of the fighting

cock farm, and unsuccessfully attempted to sell the firearm to the barangay chairman of Daraya in

Tanauan for 100,000 pesos.

Carlos eventually developed an addiction to gambling at casinos in an attempt to repay his debt from

cockfighting, and was known to have been a high roller regular at various casinos (Resorts World

Manila was not among the casinos he regularly frequented), until PAGCOR, upon request of next-of-

kin, banned him from entering all casinos on 3 April 2017. At the time of the attack and his death,

Carlos had accumulated a debt of 4 million pesos in his bank account, in addition to another non-

bank related debt.

 DEFINITION OF TERMS

M4 Bushmaster rifle
is a semi-automatic or select-fire carbine manufactured by Bushmaster Firearms
International, modeled on the AR-15. It is one of the Bushmaster XM15 line of rifles and
carbine

Smoke inhalation
is an inhalation of large toxic fume or by-product of combusting substance
through respiratory tract which results in serious injury or death.

Casino tokens
are small discs used in lieu of currency in casinos. Colored metal, injection-
molded plastic or compression molded clay tokens of various denominations are used
primarily in table games, as opposed to metal token coins, used primarily in slot
machines

Robbery
 is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of
force, or by putting the victim in fear.

Philippine National Police

The agency is administered and controlled by the National Police Commission
and is part of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT)
is generic term for a law enforcement unit that uses specialized or military
equipment and tactics. SWAT teams are increasingly equipped with military-type
hardware and trained to deploy against threats of terrorism, for crowd control, hostage
taking, and in situations beyond the capabilities of ordinary law enforcement.

High roller
also referred to as a whale or cheetah, is a gambler who consistently wagers
large amounts of money. High rollers often receive lavish "comps" from casinos to lure
them onto the gambling floors, such as free private jet transfers, limousine use and use
of the casinos' best suites.

Battle cry
is a yell or chant taken up in battle, usually by members of the same combatant
group.

Fratelli Tanfoglio S.N.C.

is an Italian gun manufacturing company. Their current weapons are used
extensively in sport competitions and for personal defense.

Cockfight
is a blood sport, held in a ring called a cockpit. Cockfighting is a blood sport due
in some part to the physical trauma the cocks inflict on each other, which is sometimes
increased by attaching metal spurs to the cocks' natural spurs.

Gold Rush
a discovery of gold—sometimes accompanied by other precious metals and rare-
earth minerals—that brings an onrush of miners seeking their fortune.
Intermediary
is a third party that offers intermediation services between two parties, which
involves conveying messages between principals in a dispute, preventing direct contact
and potential escalation of the issue.

Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN)

is an annual document that all government workers in the Philippines,
whether regular or temporary, must complete and submit attesting under oath to their
total assets and liabilities, including businesses and financial interests, that make up
their net worth. The assets and liabilities of the official, his or her spouse, and any
unmarried children under 18 who are living at home, must be included.

Closed-circuit television (CCTV)
also known as video surveillance, is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal
to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that
the signal is not openly transmitted, though it may employ point-to-point (P2P), point-to-
multipoint (P2MP), or mesh wired or wireless links.

Smoke Screen
Smoke screens are commonly deployed either by a canister (such as a grenade)
or generated by a vehicle (such as a tank or a warship). Whereas smoke screens were
originally used to hide movement from enemies' line of sight, modern technology means
that they are now also available in new forms; they can screen in the infrared as well as
visible spectrum of light to prevent detection by infrared sensors or viewers,
 Related Local Literatures

The Philippines continues to experience disastrous fires, often marking some of the worst fire

incidents in history. On May 13, 2015, a fire broke out at the Kentex Manufacturing factory in

Valenzuela City, wherein 74 people were killed after being trapped inside the burning shoes-and-

slippers factory. It is the third worst fire incident in the Philippines after the 1996 Ozone Disco Club

fire that killed 162 and the 2001 Manor Hotel fire that led to the death of 75 people. In all three

cases, buildings were totally burned or destroyed, huge amounts of investment went up in smoke in

a matter of hours and those who were lucky enough to escape and survive suffered the tragedy of

losing their jobs, their source of income and livelihood. Fast forward to the present-day scenario, the

Philippines remains washed up in fighting fire, if not preventing it from happening. From 2013 to

2017, the BFP recorded a total of 77,724 fire incidents, or an average of 15,545 fire incidents every

year or 42 fire incidents a day. During the period, the total estimated damage to property reached

P23.273 billion or an average of P4.65 billion every year. Also during the period, 1,257 people were

killed or an average of 251 deaths every year. The number of injured persons during the five-year

period reached 4,239, or an average of 848 persons suffering from fire-related injuries that could

have been avoided. Due to increasing number of fire incidents, the Bureau of Fire Protection, also

known as the DILG Act of 1990, was created under the mandate of Rule 111, Section 49 of the

Republic Act. The Bureau is responsible to conduct seminars and drills to raise awareness and to

help prevent fire-related accidents in the Philippines. To ensure public safety and promote economic

development through the prevention and suppression of all kinds of destructive fires, the Bureau fully

implemented the RA 1945 or “Amendment Fire Code of 2008”. With the establishment of the RA

1945, the Bureau is required to conduct seminars and drills to all private and public buildings,

facilities or structures erected or constructed before and after its affectivity. The Bureau conducts

daily seminars to residential housings, government institutes, and private sectors, teaching all the

owners, administrators or occupants of buildings, structures and their premises or facilities and other

responsible persons within the premises.

 Related Local Studies

According to the BFP, the top three causes of fires are electrical connection, lighted cigarette butt

and open flame. Fire originating from electrical connections may either be triggered by electrical

overload, electrical arc or electrical short circuit. Lighted cigarette butts that caused fires are those

usually indiscriminately thrown away by cigarette smokers, accidentally touching flammable material

that starts a fire. Fires caused by open flames can either be triggered by torch, candle or burning gas

stove left unattended. The top three fire occurrences recorded hit residential areas, industrial and

mercantile or commercial buildings. VALLEJO said, generally, firefighters do not encounter problems

in accessing water. “We have MOAs [memorandums of agreement] with local water districts,” she

said. “In Metro Manila, we also have an adequate number of fire hydrants, so we have no problem

with water.” Solano added other fire trucks are refilled with water hauled by other fire trucks “If you

notice our fire trucks are positioned one after the other, like a relay. Solano explained it takes only

several minutes for a fire truck to run out of water considering the need to expel huge volumes of

water to put out the fire as quick as possible. “This is a lot better than maneuvering each fire truck to

get out of the area to refill the tanks with water,” he added. He noted that fire quickly spreads and, in

a matter of minutes, say, in a residential area, one block can immediately be burned to the ground in

5 to 10 minutes. “For every second of delay, fire can quickly spread and consume. Say, in a burning

building, in just 30 minutes, we can no longer save anything in that building,” Solano said. “All we

can do is to let it burn to the ground and focus on the nearest establishment to prevent it from

spreading.” “Prevention is the only way to keep the number of fire incidents and fatalities down,”

Vallejo said. “That is why the BFP continuously implements information drives to raise public

awareness and give safety tips to businesses, schools, dormitories and even in the barangays.”

According to her, the information campaign is happening all-year round.

 SUMMARY

Gunshots and explosions were heard shortly after midnight Friday local time at Resorts

World Manila, opposite the city’s airport. Resorts World is a complex of hotels, casinos, shops and

restaurants in Newport City, one of the most affluent districts of the Philippine capital. Police and

troops were mobilized to the scene following witness reports of a gunman breaking in, as smoke

started coming out of an upper floor gaming room. PNP Chief Gen. Ronald Dela Rosa told media

that the lone attacker set gambling tables doused with gasoline alight, causing the choking black

smoke that led to the fatalities.

AP reports that at least 36 people died at the scene from suffocation, while some 70 others were

hurt in the rush to escape. Resorts World Manila confirmed in a statement that at least 54 were

taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. According to Resorts World, the perpetrator took “his own

life by setting himself on fire followed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”

So far, authorities say that one gunman, described as Caucasian and foreign, was behind the attack.

While U.S. President Donald Trump said publicly that the violence had “terror” links, Dela Rosa said

there was no solid evidence linking the case to terrorism.

The gunman took large quantities of gaming chips during the attack, leading some to speculate if it

was a bungled robbery. He also shot up gaming machines and ATMs, according to CNN, but did not

appear to take aim at patrons.

 CONCLUSION

With regards to the incident, the real problem was the lapses on the security of the building.

As stated the gunman has entered the building easily, wearing only plain clothes and hidden firearm

he was able to infiltrate the facility without any suspicion from anybody of what he is about to do. The

gunman was able to reach his point until he started shooting the occupants of the building.

Meaning, security of the establishment has many gaps to deal with starting with the point of entry of

the gunman which shows lack of security supervision within that particular range.

Another is the slow response of the security units and the police force allowing the gunman

to shoot a lot of people and even started a fire in the vicinity. The fire caused a lot of lives, including

the gunman himself. The fire had spread very fast that it caused the lives of many civilians. This is

considered a good of example of lapses on security and response.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Increase the security of the building, personnel and equipment for such emergency should be

upgraded to. Avoid the lapses of what happened during the incident and create their own response

team to face such problems if it occurred. Also it is a good addition to increase fire safety equipment

to be able to prevent and suppress fire if it occurs. If ever possible, proper seminars and trainings

should be required to the employees so that they will be knowledgeable to the things that they need

to do in case accidents like that occurs again. Fill in all the gaps in the protocols and security of the

establishments that will solidify the rules and regulations of the staffs and management as well.

Proper coordination with the local authorities should be always observed and maintained so that

they will be quick to respond during calamities and disasters. Tighten the security perimeter, in this

way, bandits and wrongdoers will have little to no chance at all in compromising the safety of the

establishment as well as the safety of its customers.

 REFERENCES

"Philippines hotel attack: 37 victims suffocated after 'white' gunman shot gambling machines and started a fire
in 'botched robbery'". The Telegraph. 2 June 2017. Retrieved  2 June  2017.

Suarez, KD (4 June 2017).  "Ex-DOF employee is Resorts World gunman – police". Rappler. Retrieved  4
June  2017.

"Shooting heard at Manila leisure complex".  bbc.com. BBC. Retrieved  1 June  2017.

Pitman, Todd (3 June 2017).  "Security video shows methodical gunman in attack". Associated Press.
Retrieved 3 June 2017.

"Dela Rosa: Gunman in Resorts World attack killed".  ABS-CBN news. 1 June 2017. Archived from the
original on 20 November 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2017.

"Security video shows methodical gunman in Resorts World attack". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 4 June 2017.
Retrieved 5 June2017.

"Cops Probing Casino gunman's link to Manila twin slays".  Philippine Daily Inquirer. 10 June 2017.
Retrieved 20 June  2017.

Rafales, April (1 June 2017).  "Gunfire reported at Resorts World Manila". ABS-CBN. Archived from  the
original on 1 June 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.

"Video of Manila Casino Attack Shows Robbery Was Goal, Police Say". The New York Times. 3 June 2017.
Retrieved 3 June 2017.

"ISIS claims attack that left 37 dead in Manila casino". CNN. 2 June 2017.

"Casino staff, guests among 37 killed in Resorts World Manila attack". CNN. Retrieved 2 June 2017.

Calupitan, Joeal (1 June 2017). "36 People Have Died in the Manila Resorts World Attack". TIME. Archived
from  the originalon 1 June 2017. Retrieved  1 June  2017.

"36 found dead in Manila casino after armed robber set fires, committed suicide, police say".  CNN. Fox News.
2 June 2017. Archived from  the original on 2 November 2019. Retrieved  2 June2017.

"Gunman sparks panic at Philippines resort, injuring 54".  BNO News. 1 June 2017. Archived from the
original on 1 June 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2017.

Rawlinson, Kevin.  "Manila resort in lockdown after explosions and gunshots".  theguardian.com. The Guardian.
Retrieved 1 June2017.

Yan, Holly (1 June 2017).  "Resorts World Manila: Explosions, gunfire reported in Philippines". CNN.
Retrieved 1 June 2017.

Documentary Photos of the Incidents

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Name : Millen Charles-Vincent Mendiola Reyes

Birthdate : June 23, 2000

Address : BLK 25 LOT 321 Bright Homes subd. Brgy. Cay Pombo, Sta.Maria, Bulacan

Status : Single

Citizenship : Filipino

EDUCATTIONAL ATTAINMENT

Primary : Mystical Rose School of Bulacan Inc.

Secondary : Nuestra Senora del Carmen Institute

Tertiary : Far Eastern University-Morayta campus

Course : Bachelor of Science in Business Administration major in Financial Management

TRAININGS & SEMINAR ATTENDED

Training: : Public Safety Intervention Course (PSIC)

ICITAP Instructor’s Development Course

ICITAP Technical Report Writing

Basic Internal Security Operations Course (BISOC)

Air-to-Ground Operation Support (AGOS)

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Name : Mcheal Tawali Pay-an

Birthdate : January 11, 2000

Address : Brgy. Tartaria Silang Cavite

Status : Single

Citizenship : Filipino

EDUCATTIONAL ATTAINMENT

Primary : Tartaria Elementary School

Secondary : Casile Integrated High School

TRAININGS & SEMINAR ATTENDED

Training: : Public Safety Intervention Course (PSIC)

ICITAP Instructor’s Development Course

ICITAP Technical Report Writing

Basic Internal Security Operations Course (BISOC)

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Name : Raven Valdez Payang

Birthdate : June 21, 1998

Address : Brgy. Calingcuan, Tarlac City

Status : Single

Citizenship : Filipino

EDUCATTIONAL ATTAINMENT

Primary : Doña Arseñia Elementary School

Secondary : Maliwalo National Highschool

Tertiary : Tarlac State University

Course : Bachelor of Science in Criminology (Graduate)

TRAININGS & SEMINAR ATTENDED

Training: : Public Safety Intervention Course (PSIC)

ICITAP Instructor’s Development Course

ICITAP Technical Report Writing

Basic Internal Security Operations Course (BISOC)