Resorts World attacker, a dismissed DOF staff who was “heavily indebted”: police

June 4, 2017

Philippine authorities have identified that the lone attacker at Resorts World was a dismissed employee of the Department of Finance who was a gambler and "heavily indebted." National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Oscar Albayalde said the gunman was Jessie Carlos, 42, a resident of San Lazaro, Sta. Cruz, Manila. In a press briefing, Albayalde said Carlos' family members confirmed his identity after the police were able to trace them. "After thorough review of details, photos, CCTV footages, the family confirmed the identity of the perpetrator," he said. Albayalde said Carlos' wife was initially afraid to come out, while his parents failed to recognize the attacker, whose footage was shown on television shortly after the tragic incident in Resorts World early Friday where 38 people died, including the perpetrator. According to the family, Carlos was "heavily indebted" because he had been hooked in casino gambling for several years already. Carlos who was a staff at DOF's One Stop Shop Tax Credit and Duty Drawback Center was discharged due to the issue on his Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN). In a statement, the DOF confirmed that Carlos was its Tax Specialist I and he was charged for failing to disclose truthfully all his assets. The Office of the Ombudsman dismissed Carlos on April 25, 2014 for grave misconduct and gross neglect of duty for not declaring some of his property and vehicles during the past years.  The Ombudsman also took note of his "huge loans," the DOF said. Albayalde said on April 3, 2017, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation barred Carlos from entering all casinos because of a request by one of his relatives. He said this could have triggered Carlos to attack Resorts World. However, he clarified that Carlos was not a frequent player at the Resorts World Manila but in another casino. Fernando Carlos, the attacker's father, said his son had no relationship with any terrorist group. The Carlos family expressed its deepest sympathy to the families and friends of the victims. President Rodrigo Duterte, in an interview with reporters in Cagayan de Oro City on Saturday, said the tragic incident in Resorts World was not perpetrated by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. "The work of the ISIS is more cruel and brutal. They would just simply kill people for nothing. Not even for a reason. And that was the reason why the world today has bonded together to fight the scourge of terrorism," he said. According to the police, Carlos killed himself after robbing P113-million worth of casino chips and setting the gambling tables on fire, resulting to the suffocation of those who died in the incident. Duterte visited the wake of some of those who perished in the incident at different funeral parlors in Pasay City early Sunday. Albayalde reiterated that the incident was not an act of terrorism but an act of one man alone. He again asked the public to stop spreading false speculations linking the incident to terrorism. "Again, as we always maintained, this not an act of terrorism! Help us build peace here in our region by spreading only the truth," he said. (Ella Dionisio/DMS)