House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez said he disagreed with the findings of police that the attack on Resorts World Manila was not a terrorist act, but a criminal case of armed robbery and arson.

“This is a clear example of a ‘lone wolf’ terrorist attack targeting civilians to inflict maximum loss of life and damage to property, as what has happened in other countries,” said Alvarez in a statement on Saturday.

Alvarez said this “should be a wake-up call for the police and the military to cooperate closely in making the seat of government and our financial and business center safe from any terrorist attack, whether by "lone wolves" or heavily armed terrorist contingents, as what happened in Marawi City.”

“We must draw up a clear and better plan to secure Metro Manila and other urban centers from IS-linked groups that we already know will attempt to kill and maim in pursuit of their jihadist ideology,” he added.

Thirty-eight people died in the attack, mostly caused by smoke inhalation. Six fatalities were four Taiwanese, one Chinese and one South Korea, news reports said.

“Our authorities should get their act together and put in place the highest level of security measures to prevent this to happen again, here or elsewhere in the country,” added Alvarez.

Police have not identified the gunman, who according to the taxi driver, spoke fluent Tagalog. Police have insisted the attack was not a terrorist act.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement;” All indications in the Resorts World Manila point to a criminal act by an apparently emotionally disturbed individual.”

Abella said the Resorts World Manila attack is “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.” DMS