Three committees of the Philippine House of Representatives will begin today (Wednesday) an investigation into Friday’s deadly attack at casino venue Resorts World Manila (pictured), in which the police said at least 36 people died.
Representative Gus Tambunting, chairman of the House Committee on Games and Amusement, will lead the inquiry, assisted by Representative Romeo Acop, chairman of the Committee on Public Order and Safety, reported television news broadcaster CNN. The House Committee on Tourism will also join the hearing, according to the report.
Officials of Resorts World Manila, the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection, have reportedly been invited to attend the hearing.
Mr Tambunting said the probe would be held in a room at Terminal 3 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The air hub is across the road from Resorts World Manila. Lawmakers are also planning to inspect the nearby casino resort.
The lawmakers want to know, among other things, whether the attacker Jessie Javier Carlos – allegedly a problem gambler who also died in the incident – had acted alone, or whether he had help from employees, Mr Tambunting was quoted as saying.
The probe would also look into whether or not Resorts World Manila complied with existing safety standards.
So far 13 employees and 22 guests have been identified as victims, with most reportedly succumbing to smoke inhalation according to the police.
Andrea Domingo, head of the country’s casino regulator, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp, said in Monday comments that she did not expect the incident would push the country’s casino industry off track from achieving its target of PHP60 billion (US$1.21 billion) revenue in 2017.
Philippine media outlet ABS-CBN News reported on Tuesday – quoting Taiwanese government representative Gary Song-Huann Lin – that the families of four Taiwanese victims of the Resorts World Manila attack are seeking compensation from the gaming venue for the death of their relatives.
