• Live
    • Audio Only
  • google plus
  • facebook
  • twitter
News > World

37 Dead in Attack on Tourist Resort in the Philippines

  • Employees light candles during a memorial at Resorts World in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017.

    Employees light candles during a memorial at Resorts World in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines June 2, 2017. | Photo: REUTERS/Dondi Tawatao

Published 2 June 2017
Opinion

Philippine security officials reject IS group claim and insist incident was an attempted robbery.

The Islamic State group says one of its fighters carried out an attack in Manila that killed at least 37 people on Friday but the claim is being disputed by the Philippine authoritities.

RELATED: 
Duterte Threatens to Impose Martial Law on All of Philippines

A gunman burst into the Resorts World Manila, an entertainment complex on the southern outskirts of the capital, firing shots and setting fire to gaming tables.

Most of the dead suffocated in thick smoke as guests and staff tried to hide.

The IS group's claim was rejected by the National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon, who said all the evidence pointed to an attempted robbery.

"This is plain and simple propaganda," Esperon told Reuters. "If the lone gunman was really an IS terrorist, why did he not shoot and kill people in the casino? He only went for the casino chips."

Speaking at a later news conference, Police Chief Roland Del La Rosa said: "This is not an act of terror. There is no element of violence, threat or intimidation that leads to terrorism".

The unidentified gunman killed himself in his hotel room after being shot and wounded by resort security, according to the police and Resorts World management.

Officers said US$2.27 million worth of casino chips stolen during the raid had been recovered and they were looking at a "person of interest" in connection with the attack. 

The Philippines is facing a crisis in the south of the country, where troops have been battling Islamist rebels since May 23.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared martial law on the island of Mindanao last week.

Duterte warned that if the threat from the Islamic State group spreads, he would impose the measure nationwide. 

Comment
0
Comments
Post with no comments.