MANILA (Updated) -- Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Ronald dela Rosa said Friday that the lone gunman who fired shots inside the Resorts World Manila mall-casino before dawn Friday (June 2) was found dead of an apparent suicide.
Dela Rosa said the suspect wrapped his body in a blanket and burned himself to death at the hotel's room 510.
Before he committed suicide, the gunman shot TV screens and set on fire gambling tables by pouring gasoline on them. He stuffed a backpack with casino chips valued at P113 million, Dela Rosa said.
The gunman also reportedly torched a luxury car parked at the casino.
The PNP has yet to identify the nationality of the gunman, as he had no identification card, but Dela Rosa described him as "English speaking." He also described him as white, with a mustache and about six-foot tall.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Oscar Albayalde said the gunman, who was brandishing a high-powered rifle, ignored the security guard who tried to question him at the entrance to the casino-mall complex. He did not hurt the guard but went straight to the gambling area with the firearm hanging from his shoulder, he added.
"Nagpark siya doon sa regular parking area doon sa malaki doon sa isang side ng Resort's World, pagbaba niya naglakad siya ng normal na lakad pero nakasukbit na yung armalite sa shoulder niya at malaking tao kaya hindi mo masyadong makita ‘yun armalite niya kasi malaking tao siya," he said.
"Pagpasok niya, dere-deretso siya at nung sinita siya, napansin agad nung security 'yung lumabas na mahabang baril nya nataranta na 'yung security at tumakbo na rin at nakita na rin nung ibang tao doon na nagsimula 'yung stampede," he added.
The PNP earlier released photos of a foreign-looking person wearing dark clothes, a backpack and holding a high-powered firearm. The PNP said it identified the suspect through CCTV footages.
The Resorts World Manila was placed on a lockdown before dawn of Friday after several gunshots were heard in the second floor of the mall-casino, prompting the occupants to evacuate the building.
Jeff Santos, a casino player, said they heard gunshots around 1 a.m. that resulted in a panic inside the casino. He said he believed the incident was not perpetrated by a lone gunman.
"Kasi iba-ibang lugar ang pinangagaglingan ng putok ng baril kaya most probably, hindi lang iisang tao ang gumawa," he said.
But Albayalde said the shooting of the TV monitors and torching of casino tables was a "diversionary tactic" intended to create panic.
The NCRPO chief said they will review the CCTV footages at casino as everything was caught on tape.
He said they will examine the gunman's vehicle and will also check if the suspect was suffering from a psychological disorder.
The PNP said the motive of the attack was not terrorism, but robbery.
"He would have shot all the people gambling there" if it had been terrorism, Dela Rosa said. "But he did not hurt anyone," he added.
He stressed that there is no evidence to support a claim of terrorism.
Albayalde said 54 people who fled outside the casino complex after the attack were rushed to San Juan de Dios Hospital, Pasay General Hospital, Villamor Hospital and St. Luke's Medical Center due to minor injuries.
Of the number, 18 remain in the hospitals, including the security guard who had accidentally shot himself.
"'Yung isang gunshot wound na nadala sa hospital, 'yan 'yung security guard na nabaril niya sarili niya accidentally. Nabaril niya eh. Nag-panic na doon kanina," he added.
Stephen Reilly, Resorts World Manila chief operating officer, assured the victims that they will be attended to accordingly.
"We'll make sure we help all the victims as much as possible as we can...What we can confirm to you at this time is that 30 individuals were taken to nearby hospital for care and assessment from the property during the course of the evening," he said. (With AP/SunStar Philippines)