Palace: Duterte won't declare martial law in Metro Manila due to Resorts World attack

Malacañang on Saturday assured the public that President Rodrigo Duterte will not declare martial law in Metro Manila following the Resorts World Manila attack, which left 38 people dead.

"The incident in the Resorts World Manila is thus an isolated case which does not constitute rebellion or invasion, which are the grounds for the declaration of martial law as prescribed by the Constitution and which the President is sworn to abide by and protect when he took his oath of office," presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

Abella emphasized that the attack at the posh hotel-casino was a "criminal act by an apparently emotionally disturbed individual."

"The Philippine National Police (PNP) has conducted an initial investigation showing that the gunman did not shoot any civilian but only fired shots at LED televisions, burned gambling tables, and stole gambling chips worth P113 million, before he forcibly entered a hotel room where he burned and shot himself," Abella said.

In a speech during his visit to wounded troops in Cagayan de Oro City late Saturday, Duterte said the Resorts World Manila attack was not an act of the ISIS.

"Di 'yun ISIS... Bakit mo nakawin ang plastic (na 'di mo naman magamit? Loko-loko pala 'yun... Di naman n'ya gusto pumatay. That's not the work of ISIS, ISIS they will kill for nothing," he said.

He added that ISIS attacks are more brutal.

A total of 38 people, including the gunman, died in the attack early on Friday.

Most of the victims died due to suffocation. Fifty-four others were hurt in the attack.

In an earlier press conference, Metro Manila police chief Oscar Albayalde said that the incident cannot be classified as a terrorist attack.

"Until we get any indications that this is part of a terror attack, or he is a member of any terror group, then we could not possibly say that this was related to any terror attack...we cannot speculate here," Albayalde said.

In the same press conference, Resorts World Manila chief security officer Armeen Gomez added that the gunman encountered guests, but did not open fire on them.

"The gunman encountered guests even at the elevator and he didn't even fire, so kung may terrorist yun, dapat lahat ng nakita niya barilin niya agad. Maximum kill," he explained.

Their investigation showed that the attacker changed magazines at least three times, but did not shoot anybody.

Police are also considering the act of burning gambling tables and slot machines as a diversionary tactic for the attacker's escape.

Albayalde, meanwhile, clarified that only one person sustained a gunshot wound and he was a member of the hotel-casino's security team.

He said they have not received any report from hospitals that the people who died or injured during the attack sustained gunshot wounds. —Anna Felicia Bajo and Jessica Bartolome/ALG, GMA News