Police: DNA test confirms casino gunman's identity

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police Crime Laboratory has confirmed the identity of the gunman in a casino attack last Friday based on a DNA laboratory report.

This, after the crime lab tested the body found inside Room 510 of Maxims hotel at Resorts World Manila in Pasay City, where the suspected gunman burned himself to death.

The testing, completed on June 6, revealed that the gunman's DNA was a 99.9-percent with the DNA samples taken from former government employee Jessie Javier Carlos' parents.

 “The submitted pieces of specimen were subjected to DNA extraction,” the lab report read.

“The polymerase chain reactions fragments were separated and detected using an applied biosystems,” it added.

The samples taken from Fernando and Teodora Carlos were swabbed from their cheeks. These samples are commonly used by forensic pathologists to determine if a suspect can be linked to a crime scene.

The Southern Police District Crime Laboratory Office requested the DNA laboratory test.

Last Sunday, Director Oscar Albayalde, National Capital Region Police Office chief, identified Carlos as the gunman who burned the gambling tables at Resorts World and later on himself. Carlos' family likewise confirmed that Jessie was the man seen in security videos of the attack. They said he was a gambling addict.

The casino incident, initially thought a terror attack, left Carlos and 37 others dead. The casualties died of smoke inhalation. 

More than 30 were reportedly hurt in the incident.