MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives begins today its investigation into the Resorts World tragedy, expecting to focus on lapses in security and emergency protocols that might have contributed to the death of 37 hotel guests and employees.
Thirty-eight died in the incident early last Friday, including the gunman identified as Jessie Javier Carlos, reportedly a casino gambling addict.
The House committees on public order and on games and amusement join other state agencies probing the rampage. Six other offices are doing their own inquiry: the Philippine National Police southern district, PNP civil security office in charge of security agencies, Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor), Department of Justice-National Bureau of Investigation and the Pasay City government.
On Saturday, Parañaque Rep. Gus Tambunting, who chairs the games and amusement committee, would have left the investigation to the other government bodies already looking into the incident but the clamor of his colleagues to conduct a separate one apparently prompted him to change his mind.
The inquiry of the two committees will start at 9 this morning at the dignitaries’ lounge of Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3, near Resorts World.
Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo, a member of the two committees, said officials of the PNP, BFP, Resorts World, Pasay City, Department of Tourism and other concerned agencies have been invited.
“Apart from determining lapses in security, the committee will look into the preparedness of the hotel management and staff to deal with emergencies like fire and the soundness of the fire protection system. The exit areas and other aspects of emergency management (would also be looked into),” Castelo said.
The committees would also look into whether or not Resorts World complied with existing safety standards.
Reps. Alfred Vargas of Quezon City and Rodel Batocabe, Christopher Co and Alfredo Garbin of party-list Ako Bicol have filed resolutions asking for the inquiry.
Vargas said the two committees should also look into the culpability of regulatory state agencies like the BFP and PNP civil security office.
He stressed that the BFP should explain “why life-saving devices like the sprinkler system or emergency oxygen defibrillators did not function when fire started to spread inside a casino room.”
Yesterday, the PNP Supervisory Office for Security and Investigation Agencies (SOSIA) called the stakeholders and security managers of commercial establishments in Metro Manila to discuss ways to strengthen security measures.
Chief Superintendent Jose Mario Espino, SOSIA chief, said the meeting is part of the efforts to prevent the Resorts World incident from happening again and to remind officers of the protocol on security procedures.
Licensed gun owner
A Pagcor report shows Carlos, the gunman who went on a shooting rampage at Resorts World, was a licensed gun holder.
According to the documents made public by Pagcor chairman Andrea Domingo, Carlos owned a 5.56mm HPRIL Bushmaster M4 carbine assault rifle. She added that the Manila Police District is also investigating if Carlos was the same man who killed a lawyer and a policeman inside a car on Thursday night, about two hours before the Resorts World incident started.
Businessman Atong Ang, who claimed to have personally known Carlos, claimed in an interview with dzBB that the firearm used in the casino rampage was the same one Carlos tried to sell to him. He said he declined because he was not interested in guns.
Ang described Carlos as a client that used to borrow money from his gaming company. He recalled that Carlos also placed big bets in cockpit games and, at one time, won P15 million during a derby at Araneta Coliseum.
Investigators confirmed yesterday that Carlos shot himself using one of the two firearms he brought with him.
Chief Superintendent Tomas Apolinario, Southern Police District director, said they found an “empty cartridge shell and a slug during an ocular inspection” of the hotel room where Carlos escaped to. – With Delon Porcalla, Perseus Echeminada, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Janie Cameron, Emmanuel Tupas