(Eagle News) — Senate President Koko Pimentel called out the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and the management of Resorts World Manila following the attack in a casino there that left more than 30 people dead.
“Do you only concern yourselves with gambling operations of these private casinos and you don’t anymore concern yourselves with security arrangements and physical matters like the fire safety of the establishment you allow casinos in?” he asked Pagcor, which has yet to issue a statement on the attack early Friday.
Authorities have ruled out an act of terrorism, saying the gunman—who fired shots in the establishment, and set gambling tables on fire in the casino–had only wanted to steal chips from there.
Police said the gunman evaded the metal detectors by the entrance of the building, and that the lone security personnel who accosted him scampered away when she saw he was armed.
Resorts World Manila also implemented a lockdown during the attack.
The hotel management added the sprinklers in the area also worked.
Thirty-seven hotel guests and employees, however, died due to suffocation from the smoke, while 74 were injured in an ensuing stampede, the police said.
The gunman–who had been cornered by responding policemen—then holed himself up in a hotel room, set himself on fire and then shot himself in the head.
“Question to (Resorts World Manila) owner: What happened to your security arrangements? One person set your gaming floor on fire? And was able to get his hands on gambling chips worth millions?” Pimentel asked.
“What happened to your sprinkler system? Did it work?” Pimentel added.
Not terrorism
Even then, he said the incident “looks like a criminal incident not related to any invasion, rebellion or even terrorism.”
He said terrorism under the law “has a technical meaning.”
“Although we were alarmed and even terrorized by the (Resorts World Manila) incident, still that does not qualify as a terroristic act under our law,” he said.