Terror Attack in Manila, Philippines

[DonLever]

from CKNW:

 

http://www.cknw.com/2017/06/01/witnesses-gunshots-and-explosions-at-philippine-mall/

 

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Gunshots and explosions erupted after midnight in a hotel and casino complex near Manila’s airport, sending hundreds fleeing into darkened streets early Friday in chaos that appeared linked to a Muslim militant siege in the country’s south.

 

The Islamic State group, in a quick communique, took responsibility for the attack.

 

Philippine police rushed to the Resorts World Manila complex early Friday after gunshots rang out and witnesses reported gunmen barging in at a mall in the commercial center, where whitish smoke began billowing from an upper floor.

 

Witnesses reported seeing injured people, including a SWAT member, who rushed to the scene and was reportedly fired upon by unidentified men. It was not immediately clear if anyone was killed, or if the attack had concluded.

 

Resorts World Manila said in its Facebook account that it was “currently on lockdown following reports of gunfire from unidentified men,” adding “the company is working closely with the Philippine National Police to ensure that all guests and employees are safe.”

“We ask for your prayers during these difficult times,” the company said.

 

Philippine police have not given details about the incident but have begun cordoning off the area near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

“I heard many, many gunshots,” Julio Silva, a casino player who managed to dash out of the mall complex amid the gunfire, told DZMM radio network.

Silva said he saw a SWAT member who was shouting “I was hit, I was hit.”

 

A DZMM radio reporter on the scene said she saw two ambulances ferrying two people away, one with a bandage on the leg and another in wheelchair.

As news of the attack spread, U.S. President Donald Trump offered the thoughts and prayers of the American people to the Philippines.

“It is really very sad as to what’s going on throughout the world with terror,” he said from the White House Rose Garden. He said he is “closely monitoring the situation” and will continue to provide updates.

 

The violence is unfolding amid a 10-day deadly siege by Muslim militants aligned to the Islamic State group in the southern city of Marawi. The attack has sparked fears that the militants may attack elsewhere to divert the focus of thousands of troops trying to quell the siege.

 

The SITE Intelligence Group, a U.S. terrorism monitor, said an Islamic State-linked Filipino operative who provides daily updates on the ongoing clashes in Marawi, claimed that “lone wolf soldiers” of the Islamic State group were responsible for the attack at Resorts World Manila.

An English message by the operative was distributed across several pro-IS Telegram chat groups, SITE said. According to SITE, he wrote: “The lone wolf soldiers of Khilafah attack the heart of Kufar the city of Manila in Resort World.”

 

President Rodrigo Duterte sent soldiers to the southern Philippines to end the siege by about 500 militants. Officials say 120 militants and at least 25 soldiers, five policemen and two dozen civilians have been killed in the fighting since Tuesday last week.

 

Duterte declared martial law in the Mindanao region, the southern third of the Philippines, to crush the insurrection, and poured in troops backed by airstrikes, artillery fire and armored vehicles.

 

[Warhippy]

2 minutes ago, DonLever said:

from CKNW:

 

http://www.cknw.com/2017/06/01/witnesses-gunshots-and-explosions-at-philippine-mall/

I imagine this will be about as covered as the attacks in Mindanao in the end

 

I am really not certain why some attacks get so much coverage while others don't other than regional or media bias.

[Alflives]

11 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

I imagine this will be about as covered as the attacks in Mindanao in the end

 

I am really not certain why some attacks get so much coverage while others don't other than regional or media bias.

The American press will likely focus on some silly Trumpism, rather than cover the important news.  Is it because of bias or greed?  

[Vinny in Vancouver]

15 minutes ago, DonLever said:

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Gunshots and explosions erupted after midnight in a hotel and casino complex near Manila’s airport, sending hundreds fleeing into darkened streets early Friday in chaos that appeared linked to a Muslim militant siege in the country’s south.

 

The Islamic State group, in a quick communique, took responsibility for the attack.

 

 

I think they've "downgraded" it to 'robbers'. Maybe they don't want President DU30 to have an excuse to declare martial law throughout the country.

[Nuxfanabroad]

So after Duterte publicly disses the US & starts visiting Russia & China..ISIS moves in??? Hmmm

[Odd.]

Apparently they're now saying its a robbery and not a terrorist attack. But I highly doubt that.

[CBH1926]

3 hours ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

So after Duterte publicly disses the US & starts visiting Russia & China..ISIS moves in??? Hmmm

They have been there off and on since 1970's.

[Salmonberries]

7 hours ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

So after Duterte publicly disses the US & starts visiting Russia & China..ISIS moves in??? Hmmm

You'd almost think they were in cahoots or something?

[DefCon1]

9 hours ago, Odd. said:

Apparently they're now saying its a robbery and not a terrorist attack. But I highly doubt that.

It was a robbery and not ISIS...am in manila now and the evidence showed it was a robbery since the guy stole 130 million in chips and set fire to tables without killing anyone really. I don't see how that would be the work of ISIS since they usually be shooting at people. The guy also set himself on fire afterwards. Must be a crazy guy who lost money to the casino. Its a different situation than what is going on in Marawi city right now

[DefCon1]

1 hour ago, Salmonberries said:

You'd almost think they were in cahoots or something?

 

9 hours ago, Nuxfanabroad said:

So after Duterte publicly disses the US & starts visiting Russia & China..ISIS moves in??? Hmmm

Duterte has pretty much same ideology as Trump, so right now Duterte is good friends with Trump now. It was with Obama who he had a spat with but he has been pretty welcoming of Trump. He dissed US before but the relationship is still the same as before and they haven't cut relationships, maybe just trying to expand their trades network with China and Russia. Its pretty much the same thing as what Canada is doing right now. Also who hasn't dissed US in recent months ever since Trump has been elected lol...I think the only people who haven't dissed Trump yet are his children. 

[DefCon1]

6 hours ago, CBH1926 said:

They have been there off and on since 1970's.

yes, plus southern mindanao is largely a muslim population. There have been kidnappings and killings there way before ISIS was even created. Its the home of Abu Sayyaf, the guy responsible for beheading of the Canadian tourists than ventured into the area last year or so. Martial law has been declared by the president in that area since Duterte wants to drive them out and has heavy army presence there now. Its best for the Philippines to learn how to defend themselves rather than rely on the US for help. 

[Nuxfanabroad]

 

41 minutes ago, DefCon1 said:

 

Duterte has pretty much same ideology as Trump, so right now Duterte is good friends with Trump now. It was with Obama who he had a spat with but he has been pretty welcoming of Trump. He dissed US before but the relationship is still the same as before and they haven't cut relationships, maybe just trying to expand their trades network with China and Russia. Its pretty much the same thing as what Canada is doing right now. Also who hasn't dissed US in recent months ever since Trump has been elected lol...I think the only people who haven't dissed Trump yet are his children. 

Yeah, they announced a cordial phone call, yet I generally take such morsels with a grain of salt. Sure can't profess to know what's goin on in the Phillipines, but one feels intl relationships(in general) are more fragile and/or volatile, compared with decades past. From a nation geographically key(yet economically smaller), it was surprising to hear their outspoken bluster, last yr.

 

Most of the news I read is from alternative sources(loosely defined). Won't give the MSM a millisecond of thought, save scrolling their headlines for a laugh. But the contrast from both sources is basically 180 degrees. There's almost no point of debate on socio-political matters nowadays..seems to basically come down to what people read, & then want to believe themselves.

 

The sum of all these issues in such peripheral nations, leads me to believe that western hegemony is fading faster than most 1st world folk are willing to accept. As this power & influence fades, the important & transparent coverage will likely disappear at the same rate.

[DefCon1]

OP should maybe change the title as this wasn't a terror attack just a robbery gone wrong with some nut case that probably lost money to the casino. ISIS will take credit for anything that happens in the world these days.

 

http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2017/06/02/gunshots--fire-at-manila-airport-hotel.html

 

http://www.rappler.com/nation/171703-pnp-resorts-world-shooting-robbery

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/06/01/asia/resorts-world-manila-philippines/index.html

 

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-philippines-resort-idUSKBN18S63W

 

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/06/01/manila-hotel-on-lockdown-following-reports-of-gunfire-explosions.html

[Green Building]

14 hours ago, Warhippy said:

I imagine this will be about as covered as the attacks in Mindanao in the end

 

I am really not certain why some attacks get so much coverage while others don't other than regional or media bias.

With all due respect to the situation in the Phillipines, I was more than a little surprised to see nobody mention the absoloutely massive explosion in Afghanistan a few days ago. 

 

Humans pick and choose, and the fact that some ass (or asses) committed the atrocity in Manchester so close to the blast in Kabul, which was also one of Afghanistan's worst ever strike, likely contributed to the lack of mention around here.

 

Too many negative things going on all at once to divert attention toward each of them, especially when there may also be a prevailing bias toward incidences in the Middle East since things have been unstable there since, well, forever.

 

* I understand you were making the point about the media, but whether right or wrong, I think what they cover reflects in large part what people in the western world care for.

 

 

[HI5]

16 hours ago, Warhippy said:

I imagine this will be about as covered as the attacks in Mindanao in the end

 

I am really not certain why some attacks get so much coverage while others don't other than regional or media bias.

Sportnet Coverage:

 

Leafs = Trump/US

Canucks = Philippines

[Tre Mac]

4 hours ago, DefCon1 said:

ISIS will take credit for anything that happens in the world these days.

They're taking credit for Rinne's struggle in the SCF so far so I think you might be right here.

[Warhippy]

2 hours ago, Green Building said:

With all due respect to the situation in the Phillipines, I was more than a little surprised to see nobody mention the absoloutely massive explosion in Afghanistan a few days ago. 

 

Humans pick and choose, and the fact that some ass (or asses) committed the atrocity in Manchester so close to the blast in Kabul, which was also one of Afghanistan's worst ever strike, likely contributed to the lack of mention around here.

 

Too many negative things going on all at once to divert attention toward each of them, especially when there may also be a prevailing bias toward incidences in the Middle East since things have been unstable there since, well, forever.

 

* I understand you were making the point about the media, but whether right or wrong, I think what they cover reflects in large part what people in the western world care for.

 

 

Can't argue that.  Just find it frustrating that important events happen and so frequently are not even mentioned in main stream news out west.  I find them on european or further eastern outlets.

[Canada Hockey Place]

Up to date info - 

 

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/06/02/1706000/what-we-know-attack-resortsworld-manila

[PhilJ]

It is confirmed that this is not a terrorist attack, but an accident, because the offender was supposedly chasing his losses from his gambling. However, there are still questions that remain unanswered. PAGCOR started its own investigation, which found out that the security system in the parking lots was absent and the guards were not properly equipped.

 

More information: http://www.casinogamespro.com/2017/06/09/resorts-world-manila-pagcor-face-license-revocation-threat-due-assault