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| Manila attack: up to 36 dead after raid on Philippines casino – updates | Manila attack: up to 36 dead after raid on Philippines casino – updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 7.51am BST | |
| 07:51 | |
| Agencies have been filing some dramatic and concerning eye witness accounts of the attack and the subsequent panic. | |
| AFP reports: | |
| People inside the casino recounted a terrifying ordeal when the shooting broke out. | |
| “I was about to return to the second floor from my break when I saw people running. Some hotel guests said someone yelled ‘ISIS’,” Maricel Navaro, an employee of Resorts World, told DZMM radio. | |
| “When we smelled smoke, we decided to go for the exit in the carpark. That’s where we got out. Before we exited, we heard two gunshots and there was thick smoke on the ground floor,” Navaro said. | |
| Outside the complex, relatives of people caught inside waited on Friday to hear news of their loved ones. | |
| “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, 42, told AFP. | |
| “We are very worried about her. We haven’t heard from her.” | |
| 7.30am BST | |
| 07:30 | |
| The billionaire owner of the Resorts World casino has spoken to Reuters about the tragedy. | |
| “With an incident like this, especially at Resorts World Manila, we certainly would ratchet that (security) up even more ... certainly an issue we will buckle down on,” Lawrence Ho, 40, who owns casinos in Manila and Macau, told Reuters in Hong Kong. | |
| Ho declined to say how he would increase security but said his casinos already make use of surveillance and counter intelligence measures, metal detectors and security guards. | |
| “We get news about what happens around the region. Occasionally, there are instability within geopolitics in the Philippines and the ASEAN region, so we take it (security) very seriously,” he said. | |
| The Philippines is one of the fastest-growing casino hubs in Asia after Macau and Singapore. The government wants to build a Las Vegas style strip in the middle of the capital. | |
| 7.00am BST | 7.00am BST |
| 07:00 | 07:00 |
| Some more detail about the events of last night from the Associated Press. The police chief Ronald Dela Rosa has said security footage showed the gunman ignoring a guard who tried to question him at the entrance. | Some more detail about the events of last night from the Associated Press. The police chief Ronald Dela Rosa has said security footage showed the gunman ignoring a guard who tried to question him at the entrance. |
| AP continues: | AP continues: |
| He did not hurt the guard but went straight to the gambling area, dela Rosa said. The gunman stole gambling chips, shot TV screens and set gambling tables ablaze by pouring gasoline on them. It was not clear how the gunman smuggled gasoline and an assault rifle into the crowded casino, but the assailant did not fire at people he encountered. | He did not hurt the guard but went straight to the gambling area, dela Rosa said. The gunman stole gambling chips, shot TV screens and set gambling tables ablaze by pouring gasoline on them. It was not clear how the gunman smuggled gasoline and an assault rifle into the crowded casino, but the assailant did not fire at people he encountered. |
| The man carried a 2 liter soda bottle and may have had an extra container of gasoline as well. The room was carpeted and the tables were combustible, Metropolitan Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde said, and all the bodies were found in the smoky gambling room. Investigators were going to check if the water sprinklers in the hotel worked. | The man carried a 2 liter soda bottle and may have had an extra container of gasoline as well. The room was carpeted and the tables were combustible, Metropolitan Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde said, and all the bodies were found in the smoky gambling room. Investigators were going to check if the water sprinklers in the hotel worked. |
| More than 70 people suffered mostly minor injuries in the stampede to escape. The only gunshot wound was a guard at the complex, who accidentally shot himself when the suspect entered the room, authorities said. A South Korean died of a possible heart attack suffered during the evacuation, the country’s Foreign Ministry said. | More than 70 people suffered mostly minor injuries in the stampede to escape. The only gunshot wound was a guard at the complex, who accidentally shot himself when the suspect entered the room, authorities said. A South Korean died of a possible heart attack suffered during the evacuation, the country’s Foreign Ministry said. |
| 6.30am BST | 6.30am BST |
| 06:30 | 06:30 |
| The owner of the casino Resorts World Manila has tweeted out a new statement in which it confirms ‘35 casualties’ along with 54 others injured. Assuming this casualty figure does not include the gunman that would confirm that 36 people were found dead at the scene. | The owner of the casino Resorts World Manila has tweeted out a new statement in which it confirms ‘35 casualties’ along with 54 others injured. Assuming this casualty figure does not include the gunman that would confirm that 36 people were found dead at the scene. |
| A help desk has been set up at Career Hub 1, G/F NECC building. You may reach us at these hotline numbers: 0917-8728300 and 0917-8728756. pic.twitter.com/BVKtrOc8JT | A help desk has been set up at Career Hub 1, G/F NECC building. You may reach us at these hotline numbers: 0917-8728300 and 0917-8728756. pic.twitter.com/BVKtrOc8JT |
| 6.05am BST | 6.05am BST |
| 06:05 | 06:05 |
| Summary | Summary |
| As many as 36 people have died according to authorities after a gunman burst into a Manila casino resort | As many as 36 people have died according to authorities after a gunman burst into a Manila casino resort |
| The deaths which were only announced hours after the gunman himself was reported dead are being blamed on suffocation | The deaths which were only announced hours after the gunman himself was reported dead are being blamed on suffocation |
| The dead included 13 employees and 22 guests | The dead included 13 employees and 22 guests |
| A fire had been started in the resort and many people are believed to have been trapped on the second floor | A fire had been started in the resort and many people are believed to have been trapped on the second floor |
| Police say some may also have been injured during a stampede of patrons trying to get out of the building | Police say some may also have been injured during a stampede of patrons trying to get out of the building |
| The Philippines presidential spokesman and police chief have both denied any terrorist link to the tragedy | The Philippines presidential spokesman and police chief have both denied any terrorist link to the tragedy |
| The gunman is reported to have died after setting himself alight | The gunman is reported to have died after setting himself alight |
| 5.54am BST | 5.54am BST |
| 05:54 | 05:54 |
| The message that has been coming across in multiple interviews with Philippine officials is that the deaths cannot be attribute to terrorism which is afflicting parts of the country. | The message that has been coming across in multiple interviews with Philippine officials is that the deaths cannot be attribute to terrorism which is afflicting parts of the country. |
| Ernesto Abella, a spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte, said: “All indications point to a criminal act by an apparently emotionally disturbed individual. Although the perpetrator gave warning shots, there apparently was no indication that he wanted to do harm or shoot anyone.” | Ernesto Abella, a spokesman for President Rodrigo Duterte, said: “All indications point to a criminal act by an apparently emotionally disturbed individual. Although the perpetrator gave warning shots, there apparently was no indication that he wanted to do harm or shoot anyone.” |
| Earlier national police chief Ronald dela Rosa told DZMM radio: “Don’t panic, this is not a cause for alarm. We cannot attribute this to terrorism.” | Earlier national police chief Ronald dela Rosa told DZMM radio: “Don’t panic, this is not a cause for alarm. We cannot attribute this to terrorism.” |
| The reason for the officials stressing this is the extraordinary events which have unfolded over the past 10 days in Mindanao state. The 200,000 population city of Marawi has been invaded by Islamic State-linked rebels and dozens of people have been killed. Martial law is in place and tanks are on the streets as a siege continues. | The reason for the officials stressing this is the extraordinary events which have unfolded over the past 10 days in Mindanao state. The 200,000 population city of Marawi has been invaded by Islamic State-linked rebels and dozens of people have been killed. Martial law is in place and tanks are on the streets as a siege continues. |
| You can read more about this from our correspondent Oliver Holmes who has been there this week. | You can read more about this from our correspondent Oliver Holmes who has been there this week. |
| 5.32am BST | 5.32am BST |
| 05:32 | 05:32 |
| 5.31am BST | 5.31am BST |
| 05:31 | 05:31 |
| 5.29am BST | 5.29am BST |
| 05:29 | 05:29 |
| The most recent images from the scene are coming across and some show smoke still coming from the Resorts World hotel. Others show a heavy a security presence around the scene | The most recent images from the scene are coming across and some show smoke still coming from the Resorts World hotel. Others show a heavy a security presence around the scene |
| 5.24am BST | 5.24am BST |
| 05:24 | 05:24 |
| Following on from that Reuters snap here is the confirmation from Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella. | Following on from that Reuters snap here is the confirmation from Presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella. |
| “All indications point to a criminal act by an apparently emotionally disturbed individual. Although the perpetrator gave warning shots, there apparently was not indication that he wanted to do harm or shoot anyone. The 34 deceased all died to suffocation,” Abella has said. | “All indications point to a criminal act by an apparently emotionally disturbed individual. Although the perpetrator gave warning shots, there apparently was not indication that he wanted to do harm or shoot anyone. The 34 deceased all died to suffocation,” Abella has said. |
| Police later updated the death toll to 36. | Police later updated the death toll to 36. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 5.26am BST | at 5.26am BST |
| 5.02am BST | 5.02am BST |
| 05:02 | 05:02 |
| This coming in now from Reuters: | This coming in now from Reuters: |
| PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN CONFIRMS AT LEAST 34 DIED, MOSTLY DUE TO SUFFOCATION, AFTER ATTACK AT PHILIPPINES CASINO RESORT | PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN CONFIRMS AT LEAST 34 DIED, MOSTLY DUE TO SUFFOCATION, AFTER ATTACK AT PHILIPPINES CASINO RESORT |
| 4.55am BST | 4.55am BST |
| 04:55 | 04:55 |
| It should be said that there is some confusion on both the death toll as well as the number who are injured. Rappler, a well respected news website, has interviewed Chief Superintendent Apolinario who said that most of the bodies found in the resort were on the second floor. However curiously they quote Apolinario saying of the bodies: “I don’t want to say dead because some of them may still be alive”. | It should be said that there is some confusion on both the death toll as well as the number who are injured. Rappler, a well respected news website, has interviewed Chief Superintendent Apolinario who said that most of the bodies found in the resort were on the second floor. However curiously they quote Apolinario saying of the bodies: “I don’t want to say dead because some of them may still be alive”. |
| 4.48am BST | 4.48am BST |
| 04:48 | 04:48 |
| Metropolitan Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde says the death toll has indeed risen to 36. | Metropolitan Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde says the death toll has indeed risen to 36. |
| “Thirty-six deaths, this is due to suffocation,” Albayalde told CNN Philippines. | “Thirty-six deaths, this is due to suffocation,” Albayalde told CNN Philippines. |
| 4.42am BST | 4.42am BST |
| 04:42 | 04:42 |
| Here is the latest Reuters on this developing story. It should be said that AP is upping the death toll to 36 now. | Here is the latest Reuters on this developing story. It should be said that AP is upping the death toll to 36 now. |
| At least 34 people are dead after a gunman burst into a Manila casino, firing shots and setting gaming tables alight, Philippine media reported on Friday, in what officials said was a botched robbery attempt. | At least 34 people are dead after a gunman burst into a Manila casino, firing shots and setting gaming tables alight, Philippine media reported on Friday, in what officials said was a botched robbery attempt. |
| Police said the unidentified gunman had killed himself after firing at armed officers searching the still-smoking Resorts World Manila entertainment complex hours after the drama that began shortly after midnight (1600 GMT). | Police said the unidentified gunman had killed himself after firing at armed officers searching the still-smoking Resorts World Manila entertainment complex hours after the drama that began shortly after midnight (1600 GMT). |
| Many of the dead suffocated in the chaos as guests and staff tried to flee choking smoke at the complex, according to a report by ANC News channel, quoting Bureau of Fire Protection sources. | Many of the dead suffocated in the chaos as guests and staff tried to flee choking smoke at the complex, according to a report by ANC News channel, quoting Bureau of Fire Protection sources. |
| Resort owner Travellers International Hotel Group Inc said authorities were still seeking details. | Resort owner Travellers International Hotel Group Inc said authorities were still seeking details. |
| “We have been informed of several casualties, the number and identities of whom have yet to be determined,” it said in a statement. Its shares were down 7 percent. | “We have been informed of several casualties, the number and identities of whom have yet to be determined,” it said in a statement. Its shares were down 7 percent. |
| Around dawn, the body of the suspected gunman was found in a hotel room in the complex, which is close to Ninoy Aquino International Airport and an air force base, police said. | Around dawn, the body of the suspected gunman was found in a hotel room in the complex, which is close to Ninoy Aquino International Airport and an air force base, police said. |
| “He burned himself inside the hotel room 510,” national police chief Ronald dela Rosa told a media conference. “He lay down on the bed, covered himself in a thick blanket and apparently doused himself in gasoline.” | “He burned himself inside the hotel room 510,” national police chief Ronald dela Rosa told a media conference. “He lay down on the bed, covered himself in a thick blanket and apparently doused himself in gasoline.” |
| 4.35am BST | 4.35am BST |
| 04:35 | 04:35 |
| Resorts World Manila has put out a fresh statement via Twitter which appears to confirm that there are now multiple casualties. | Resorts World Manila has put out a fresh statement via Twitter which appears to confirm that there are now multiple casualties. |
| This is a sad day for Resorts World Manila... pic.twitter.com/qjnOIMVSZR | This is a sad day for Resorts World Manila... pic.twitter.com/qjnOIMVSZR |