Blaze set off in gunman’s casino rampage kills 37
Filipino politician’s wife among those suffocated to death after terror suspect sets fire to gambling tables
THIRTY-SEVEN bodies were found at a hotel and casino complex in the Philippine capital, Manila, yesterday, after what the police described as a botched robbery attempt by a “Caucasian” man who rampaged through the venue with an assault rifle, setting fire to gambling tables.
The victims, who included a senior politician’s wife, had not been shot, but were suffocated as terrified guests and staff tried to flee the choking smoke, said Southern Police District Director Superintendent, Tomas Apolinario.
“Most of the victims were women who were found dead inside the bathroom,” he said. Among the identified bodies were 20 guests and 13 staff. A further 70 were injured, some seriously.
The police have yet to identify the lone gunman, who forced his way into the Resorts World Manila casino late on Thursday night, shooting at gambling machines and setting tables alight with gasoline.
He was first shot and injured by casino security staff before committing suicide by setting himself on fire in a fifth floor hotel room. His body was found burnt beyond recognition.
Oscar Albayalde, Manila’s police chief, told reporters that the suspect was likely to be a foreigner.
“He looks Caucasian, he talks English, he’s big and he’s white, so he’s probably a foreigner,” he said, although CCTV pictures showing the gunman in a stairwell wearing a black hat appeared to be less conclusive.
As the incident unfolded, there was initial confusion about whether it was a terrorist attack after a Filipino operative for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) terrorist group immediately claimed responsibility.
President Donald Trump was among the first to join claims that it was an act of terror. Delfin Lorenzana, the Philippine defence secretary, also told the Rappler news agency that links to Isil were under investigation.
The country is on edge amid the ongoing siege of the southern city of Marawi which has now entered its 12th day with militants affiliated with Isil waging fierce battles with the military. The unrest has caused fears that terrorists may strike elsewhere to divert government troops.
But the police quickly denied the incident was terrorism-related, claiming that it was a robbery during which the gunman stole gambling chips worth $2.3 million (£1.8 million) and shot a television set. The assailant did not fire directly at people, said General Ronald Dela Rosa, the national police chief.
“If this is Isis [Isil], all the people gambling inside should have been shot or already been bombed. He didn’t hurt anyone. Those who were injured got their injuries when they jumped from the windows,” he said.
However, Sidney Jones, an analyst at the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict in Jakarta, Indonesia, cautioned that the authorities in Manila had a history of playing down the presence of Isil in the Philippines. Video footage of the incident showed guests frantically running for the exits, the sound of gunshots and smoke coming from the upper floors of buildings.
In panic, some people jumped from second-floor windows.
As the investigation got under way, distraught relatives were heard wailing outside the hotel parking entrance where ambulances were awaiting the bodies.
At least one employee, Hazel Emyongco, a 29-year-old table supervisor, appeared to be missing in the immediate aftermath.