MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Latest on the Philippine casino attack (all times local):
11 p.m.
The Philippine military has rejected the Islamic State group’s claim of responsibility for an attack on a Manila casino complex in which 36 people died.
A gunman entered the Resorts World Manila complex early Friday and set fire to the gambling tables, unleashing smoke that killed patrons and casino employees. The gunman fled with $2 million in stolen casino chips, then forced his way into a room in an adjoining hotel and killed himself.
Police say they believe it was a robbery gone wrong.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility, saying one of its supporters entered a “gathering of Christian fighters” in the casino and “carried out killing and hurting.”
Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla rejected the claim, saying the attack “does not have the slightest signature of terrorism whatsoever.”
“As in previous incidents, this group is prone to claim and admit every criminal incident and label it as its own,” Padilla said.
___
10 p.m.
The Islamic State group says one of its operatives “carried out killing and hurting until he died a martyr” at a Manila casino complex. The statement was issued by the group Friday.
Earlier Friday a gunman entered the Resorts World Manila complex and set fire to the gambling tables, unleashing smoke that authorities say killed 36 people. The gunman fled with $2 million in stolen casino chips, then forced his way into a room in an adjoining hotel and killed himself.
Philippine authorities have said they suspect the man was trying to rob the casino and that there was no evidence it was a terrorist attack.
___
3:30 p.m.
Relatives are rushing to funeral homes to see the remains of their loved ones who died in a fire set by a gunman who robbed a Manila casino.
Authorities have said 36 people died from the smoke in the early morning attack at the Resorts World Manila. A South Korean victim died in the evacuation. And the suspected gunman was found dead in an adjacent hotel.
Metropolitan Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde said the 36 bodies were found in the smoky gambling room by firefighters and all died from suffocation and smoke inhalation. None of the bodies had gunshot wounds.
___
2 p.m.
Police say a gunman stormed a crowded Manila casino and used gasoline to set gambling tables on fire, creating clouds of smoke that swept through the crowds and killed at least 36 people. They say the gunman fled with $2 million in stolen casino chips, then forced his way into a room in an adjoining hotel and killed himself.
Authorities suspect the man was trying to rob the casino at the Resorts World Manila and stress they have found no evidence of terrorism. The man carried no identification but left his car, which was being searched.
Claims on social media said the attack was done by “lone wolf soldiers” of the Islamic State group, but police noted the man didn’t shoot anyone he encountered.
___
This story has been corrected to show the currency conversion on the value of the stolen chips to be more than $2 million, not $200,000.
