Identifying the  Resorts World Attack gunman: Security protocols at Resorts World Manila

    We were being greeted by barong-clad security units every ten or twenty meters because of 15-year-old A _ _ _, nephew: “Ma’am masyado pa ho syang bata” (Ma’am, he’s too young to be here). Yah we know, we were informed at the entrance of the casino.
In other words, aside from the usual metal detectors, canine units, CCTVs, inspections, etc.,  there are security units every 10 or 20 meters in the hotel facility from the casino to the mall – it is very densely secured. And we appreciate that they are vigilant about the moral security of its patrons – Would that they were equally vigilant about the physical security of all.

     According to PNP Supt. Oscar Albayalde, when the security guard saw the gunman, the guard ran away and everybody scampered.        

         (okey, heto na naman ako: Hindi pala totoo yung sisigaw sila ng Freeze! or… Gun! (may baril!) when they see a gunman, then draw their service pistols …

    to be fair, the Resorts World COO said their security personnel was able to engage the gunman and to wound him, which slowed him down, and forced him to retreat to Room 510 where — resigned to his fate — he set himself on fire.)
On top of the dense security in Resorts World Manila, there is a protocol before using the facilities. Since we were going to come back, we proceeded to get our Resorts World identification cards to avail of all the facilities. Here’s their procedure for that: Show a valid I.D.; fill up a three-page detailed form that includes your personal information; get photographed by them: After all these, you wait a few minutes and they will produce your I.D. on the spot with your photo. That’s how you could be entitled to use all the facilities. Here’s a clip of the ID, it has a photo in front :

In other words, if the gunman is — as attested to by witness-employees interviewed by news organizations — a regular customer of Resorts World: What seems to be the difficulty in identifying him?

     (hwag ka magalit, there’s a full-body shot, an image of the face, a vehicle (update: the PNP now says that he arrived in a taxi cab and they have identified the body number of the cab), and fingerprints — still no identification!

       another cheesy police theme song below)