Executives of the Resorts World Manila, along with ranking police and Pagcor officials, face a joint inquiry called by three House committees on Wednesday regarding the June 2 attack on the Pasay City casino. (PHOTO BY RICHARD A. REYES / INQUIRER)
MANILA 鈥� Three weeks after a gunman set fire to its casino in an attack that cost 37 lives, Resorts World Manila has told authorities that it is ready to resume its operations.
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) Chairman Andrea Domingo told lawmakers that RWM president Kingson Sian has sought the lifting of the suspension of its license.
But before taking action, Pagcor would issue first a checklist 鈥渇or a secure and safe environment鈥� that RWM would have to comply with, Domingo said during the last stretch of the House of Representatives鈥� inquiry into the June 2 arson and attempted robbery by bankrupt gambler Jessie Carlos.
RWM also informed Pagcor that it would no longer use the second floor of its Pasay City establishment, where most of the patrons and employees died of smoke inhalation, for casino operations.
The probe had zeroed in on proposals to restrict access to casinos and improve security coordination after debt-ridden gambling addict Carlos, a former Department of Finance employee faced with various
lawsuits, apparently opened fire to scare away patrons and torched the gaming tables.
Domingo, however, cautioned against the 鈥渘egative effect鈥� of imposing a P3,000 entrance fee, saying it would 鈥渨ipe out the whole mass market.鈥�
Albano鈥檚 gambling
Isabela 1st Dist. Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, who pitched the casino entrance fee, inadvertently let it slip that he has gambled in casinos too despite being an elected government official.
Domingo said Pagcor has been charging a P100 entrance fee for its licensed casinos, but Albano was incredulous. 鈥淚 was never charged P100 when I go to the casino. Is that a thing?鈥� he said.
When the Pagcor chair said 鈥渃ongressmen might be barred from playing,鈥� Albano said: 鈥淲e鈥檙e not barred from playing because the people have elected us already.鈥�
鈥淭he people know the ones they vote for sometimes gamble too. What鈥檚 not allowed are the [unelected] civil servants,鈥� he said, adding that 鈥渨e were not addicted anyway.鈥�
However, Section 14 (4) of Presidential Decree No. 1869, or the Pagcor charter, includes 鈥済overnment officials connected directly with the operation of the Government or any of its agencies鈥� among those not allowed to play in casinos.
House games and amusements committee chairman Rep. Gus Tambunting declined to comment when later asked by reporters about Albano鈥檚 interpretation of the law, only saying that 鈥減ersonally, I do not gamble.鈥�
Tambunting鈥檚 observations
The legislative inquiry was terminated on Wednesday afternoon after three hearings. Tambunting told reporters that the committee report may be done 鈥渆arly next week at most.鈥�
In his closing remarks, Tambunting raised the following observations about the inquiry鈥檚 findings:
*聽 The assailant was able to gain access into the casino with minimum effort and without any challenge from the RWM security personnel, which 鈥渟peaks a lot about the quality of security preparedness.鈥�
*聽 There was lack of clear protocols for coordination between RWM and the authorities, as well as among the first responders such as the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection. Tambunting said this was 鈥渙ne of the proximate causes鈥� of the suffocation of the victims.
*聽 Questions of jurisdiction have complicated the enforcement of laws.
鈥淲hat if this was an actual terrorist attack which was well planned and aimed at exacting maximum casualties and damage? Obviously, things could have been much worse,鈥� Tambunting said. 聽SFM