(Eagle News) — The gunman who barged inside Resorts World Manila and set things on fire while trying to steal casino chips used a taxi, not a private car, to get there.
National Capital Region Police Office Chief Oscar Albayalde revealed this in a radio interview on Saturday.
“Nakuha sa (closed-circuit television) na siya ay pumunta doon through a taxi,” he said.
He said the car police initially believed to be the suspect’s turned out to be someone else’s.
As such, the “person of interest” who was initially believed to have links to the gunman has been cleared.
According to Albayalde, police were now on their way to the Pasay hotel to retrieve the footage.
Gunman avoided metal detectors
Based on police investigation, upon entry in the building, the gunman–who has been described as “Caucasian-looking,” “big” and someone who spoke English, avoided the metal detectors, prompting the in-house security to accost him.
“Nang nakita ng guwardiya yung baril, nataranta at tumakbo na,” he said.
He said most of those who suffocated from the fire set by the gunman were people staying in the VIP rooms.
As of Friday night, the death toll rose to 38, including the gunman, who set himself on fire and shot himself in the head in a room when he was cornered by authorities.
Albayalde again denied the incident was an act of terrorism, saying that the Islamic State claims all kinds of atrocities “all over the world.”
“If he was a terrorist, siguradong may idadamay siya,” he said, describing the gunman as “mentally deranged.”