Aguirre drags De Lima into Resorts World Manila tragedy

MANILA - An ongoing investigation into the recent attack at Resorts World Manila will cover Senator Leila de Lima, who once issued a legal opinion on fire incidents at casinos when she was still justice secretary, her successor Vitaliano Aguirre said Monday.

Speaking to radio DZMM, Aguirre noted that De Lima, in a 2014 department opinion, banned the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) from enforcing fire-related laws at Resorts World and other casinos.

De Lima, he said, gave this mandate instead to the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), despite its lack of capability to impose fire regulations.

"Ang sinabi niya po sa opinion na iyun ay huwag makialam ang Bureau of Fire Protection sa kanilang pag-enforce ng fire laws kundi ito ay nasa ilalim ng PEZA," Aguirre said.

"Kaduda-duda kung anong nangyari doon, kung bakit nagkaroon ng ganoong DOJ opinion samantalang alam naman natin na talagang wala namang kakayahan ang PEZA na mag-imeplement ng fire laws natin sa Pilipinas."

He also claimed that the legal opinion caused BFP's "lax" response when Jessie Carlos, an alleged gambling addict, attacked and burned part of Resorts World last Friday.

De Lima is currently detained at the national police headquarters for drug charges she has repeatedly denied.

ABS-CBN News has reached out to her staff for comment, but they have yet to respond as this posting.

Thirty-seven employees and clients of the posh casino died in Friday's attack, most of them due to suffocation and smoke inhalation as they failed to escape the burning building.

A Resorts World Manila security chief earlier said the casino's sprinkler systems were activated during the fire.

• Fire bureau to review whether casino complied with fire-safety regulations

Aguirre said the National Bureau of Investigation's probe of the attack will also cover possible lapses on the part of the casino officials and the Pasay city government.

He also floated the idea of conducting a forensic examination to prove that the charred remains recovered by authorities is that of the gunman.