Dozen of bodies found after casino is set alight
Gunman storms building and uses petrol to start blaze on gambling tables
AT LEAST 36 bodies have been recovered from a casino and hotel complex after a gunman stormed into the building and used petrol to set gambling tables on fire.
Most of the victims died from suffocation caused by the thick clouds of smoke.
Of those killed, more than 20 were resort guests and 13 were staff.
The gunman, who has not yet been identified, targeted the casino at Resorts World Manila, a complex of hotels, restaurants, stores and a sprawling multi-floor gambling area in the capital.
He fled with over £1.5 million in stolen casino chips, then forced his way into a room in an adjoining hotel and killed himself.
The Islamic State group said one of its operatives “carried out killing and hurting until he died a martyr”, but Philippine authorities have said they suspect the man was trying to rob the casino and there was no evidence it was a terrorist attack.
“Either he lost in the casino and wanted to recoup his losses or he went totally nuts,” said Metropolitan Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde.
An IS-linked Filipino said earlier on social media “lone wolf soldiers” from the group were behind the attack, but police noted the man did not shoot anyone he encountered.
The only gunshot wound was a guard at the complex who accidentally shot himself, authorities said.
“He would have shot all the people gambling” if his goal was terrorism, said national police chief Ronald dela Rosa. None of the bodies had gunshots.
Police said they saw no connection to nearly two weeks of fighting with Muslim militants aligned with IS in the southern city of Marawi.
According to security footage viewed by police, the gunman entered via the car park.
Mr dela Rosa said security video showed the gunman ignoring a guard who tried to question him at the complex’s entrance, then going straight to the casino.
He stuffed a backpack with gambling chips, fired his assault rifle at TV screens and set tables on fire by pouring petrol on to them from a 2-litre bottle, Mr dela Rosa said. It was not clear how he smuggled the petrol and rifle into the crowded casino.
The gunman, described by Mr dela Rosa as white, with a moustache, about 6ft and English speaking, fled the gambling area and barged into a room on the fifth floor of Maxims Hotel, which is part of the Resorts complex.
He lay down on the bed, covered himself with a blanket, doused himself with petrol and set himself on fire, Mr dela Rosa said. He carried no identity documents, police added. The bag of stolen gambling chips was found in a toilet.
The attack sent hundreds of people fleeing through the complex and into the night. A South Korean died of a possible heart attack suffered during the evacuation, the Foreign Ministry said.
More than 70 people suffered mostly minor injuries in the stampede to escape.
Video of the scenes showed guests frantically running for the exits, the sound of gunshots and smoke coming from the upper floors of buildings.
One woman said she had received a call from her daughter as the attack happened. “Our daughter called us past midnight saying she was in the VIP section of the casino and there was smoke and they were suffocating,” Gil Yongco said.
Resorts World Manila chief operating officer Stephen Reilly said fire safety equipment worked, and that there was “proper ventilation”.
After the attack the capital’s airport, about a mile from the resort, was locked down.