By: PNA and Ellson A. Quismorio
Three Houses committees yesterday issued a subpoena to David Ming Huat Chua, chairman of the board of Travellers International Hotel Group Inc., owner and operator of Resorts World Manila in Pasay City.
House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas moved to issue a subpoena against Chua, who failed to appear in the second hearing on the Resorts World attack last June 2 that left 38 people dead, including the lone gunman Jessie Carlos.
According to Resorts World Manila president Kingson Sian, Chua has been out of the country since June 11.
“He is the chairman of a corporation where 37 people have died. He doesn’t even find time to come here and personally condone with people or personally see what has happened?” Fariñas asked.
Sian explained that Chua was in the country after the tragic incident and was able to visit the wakes of the victims as well as those who were wounded in the attack.
“He was here at the beginning and in fact visited the deceased but also went to the various hospitals to visit the injured,” Sian said.
Meanwhile, Bureau of Fire Protection chief Fire Director Bobby Baruelo said yesterday that it took less than five minutes for the 37 guests and employees of Resorts World Manila to die during the attack.
Baruelo said that the fire exits that could have saved the victims’ lives were only a minute’s walk away.
“It only takes two to three minutes for a person to become unconscious,” Baruelo said during the hearing.
Baruelo said toxic fumes containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide were produced by when Carlos torched the item.
“With continued inhalation of these gases, a person might die of suffocation or asphyxia after four to five minutes,” he said.