Alvarez insists on terror angle in Resorts World attack

MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Wednesday brought up the issue of terrorism in last week's attack on a hotel and casino complex in Pasay City by a lone gunman.

Three committees of the House of Representatives opened an inquiry into the attack by an armed assailant on Resorts World Manila, resulting in the death of 37 persons due to suffocation after the gunman set gaming tables and furniture on fire. He later burned and killed himself in a hotel room, police claim.

The Philippine National Police has identified the lone gunman as Jessie Javier Carlos, a former government employee who was dismissed from the service in 2014 over undeclared assets. The police stressed that the attack was not an act of terrorism as there were no confirmed reports that he shot any civilians or patrons inside the casino.

READ: Casino gunman identified

During the hearing held at the dignitaries lounge of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, Alvarez asked Metro Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde to define terrorism.

"Well, basically sir, the definition is a problem, an act of violence that would create massive casualties and massive fear in the population," Albayalde told the panel.

Albayalde added that there was fear because of Carlos' attack but the deaths were all incidental due to the fire.

"It was not intentional on the part of the suspect to inflict or probably kill those people," Albayalde said.

The Manila police chief, however, noted that the attack could technically be considered as terrorism.

"Technically, terrorism po iyon. We might be considering all other types as act of terrorism ‘cause even a shooting incident could create fear," Albayalde said.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) officer-in-charge Catalino Cuy agreed that the act may be considered technically as terrorism as it caused damage, death and injury to people.

Cuy, however, clarified that the incident in Resorts World Manila is not related to the situation in Marawi City, where there is an ongoing armed conflict between government troops and an ISIS-inspired group.

"We’re not connecting this incident to what is happening in Marawi. We just want a proper labeling of what happened in Resorts World," Alvarez said.

Citing Republic Act 9372 or the Human Security Act of 2007, Alvarez defined terrorism as an "act of sowing and creating a condition of widespread armed extraordinary fear and panic among the populace in order to coerce government to give in to an unlawful demand."

Carlos was not reported to have made any demands.

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The Palace, the military and police have ruled out terrorism in the Resorts World attack, although Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella has said that the act did cause terror.