OFFICIALS of the Resorts World Manila's security provider on Monday faced the Philippine National Police (PNP) Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (Sosia) as part of the ongoing investigation on the shooting incident last Friday.
NC Lanting Security Specialist Agency was contracted by Resorts World to provide them with security personnel.
Senior Superintendent Ildebrando Usana, PNP-Sosia assistant chief, said they will try to find out the possible security lapses of the security provider as well as the casino's in-house security personnel.
The NC Lanting said they have around 200 security personnel for Resorts World but only 68 were on-duty when Jessie Carlos, a former employee of the Department of Finance, intruded, fired shots, and torched gaming table and carpets of the casino.
They said they are in-charge in the security at the mall area, parking and the perimeter of the hotel, while the casino was being manned by Resorts World's in-house security personnel.
Earlier, PNP-Sosia director Chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino said he noticed several security lapses during the incident.
He said there was obviously a delay on how the information regarding the armed intruder was relayed to PNP, as well as how quickly they responded amid the panic and stampede of the people.
In a separate interview, Southern Police District director Senior Superintendent Tomas Apolinario said the loss of 37 lives could have been prevented if the suspect was immediately neutralized.
"Ideal sana nito, the first sight na may intruder na ganyan, he should have been neutralized," he said.
Apolinario said a big part of the investigation will identify how the security team reacted on the scenario, noting that the suspect was already in full battle gear when he entered the establishment.
According to the suspect's parents, Carlos' gambling addiction destroyed his own family after he sold his properties and borrowed money from several people in order to sustain his vices.
Meanwhile, the investigation will also find out if the luxury hotel-casino has a smoke evacuator system--a facility that limits the contamination of smoke in area to only one percent--which is among the requirements in high-end establishments. (VoxPop Philippines)
