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Thursday, March 28, 2024

RWM security chief faked his name, House probe bares

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The Resorts World Manila has begun investigating its chief security Armeen Gomez following his admission that he faked his name.

This was revealed as the House joint committees on games and amusements, public order and security, and tourism resumed Wednesday its probe into the June 2 hotel-casino tragedy that killed 37 people and injured several others.

During the hearing, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. chairperson Andrea Domingo also said she already told RWM president Kingson Sian to formalize their request so that the suspension order against the gaming agency will be lifted.

Lawyer Georgina Alvarez, RWM lawyer, told the joint panel that the investigation against Gomez has been conducted and discovered that Gomez used the name of his brother, Armeen, instead of his real name Armenio to get employed at RWM six years ago.

FIRST RESPONDERS. Members of the first responders team from the Philippine National Police attend the continuation of the inquiry on the circumstances behind the tragic incident in the Resorts World Manila at the House of Representatives. Manny Palmero

“In accordance with our code of conduct, he was properly given a notice to explain. He is entitled to due process, we are awaiting the submission of his answer whether or not the company should take action on the misrepresentation that he has committed if it is true and based on that, there will be an administrative hearing and a judgment will be rendered by the company,” Alvarez said.

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Parañaque City Rep. Gus Tambunting, House committee on games and amusements chairperson, asked confirmation from Gomez himself if he has a brother working in Naga City whose name is also Armeen Gomez which the chief security responded in the affirmative.

“My real name is Armenio Gomez Jr. I was orphaned at 9 years old, your honors. I made lapses in judgment but I studied. But for the last six years, I have been a professional. My lapses were 20 years ago, and I would like to invoke my right against self-incrimination,” Gomez said.

Gomez earned the ire of lawmakers for the supposed late emergency response of the RWM management, the police and fire department in the RWM tragedy.

Gomez earlier lied before the  joint panel for flaunting his supposed Bachelor of Science in Business Management degree but admitted later on that he did not finish college.

“We have hired Armeen [here] based on his professional record. He was not a fresh graduate. He was experienced, and he had a very good recommendation from these character references. It was only during the congressional inquiry when we came to know about the misrepresentation of Mr. Gomez,” Alvarez told the joint panel.

But still, Alvarez said Gomez did well in responding  to the unfortunate RW incident.

“The June 2 incident is a completely different legal process with misrepresentation case. He was able to trigger the necessary protocol, called for the police and the BFP [Fire Bureau] that enabled a timely response from the authorities. At the end of the day, Mr. Gomez’s performance in June 2 has nothing to do with the misrepresentation that he might have committed six years ago,” Alvarez said.

But Tambunting said the past issue concerning Gomez must not be taken for granted.

“This is important because if your Chief of Security is top notch, he would have been able to pool in the emergency response quickly,” said Tambunting.

This developed as investigators and hotel-casino officials were clueless on the “looting” of the valuables of the fatalities, including Elizabeth Panlilio Gonzales, wife of Pampanga Rep. Aurelio Gonzales Jr., during the June 2 bloody RW incident.

Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel raised the issue as he asked about the authorities which first entered the RWM premises—if the Philippine National Police or Bureau of Fire Protection.

He said he is convinced that the bodies of the other victims were looted.

“I am asking this question because this is very important. This representation has received reports that there were some looting on the valuables of the victims,” Pimentel said.

“In fact during the hearing at Naia III, one of the BFP personnel testified that on their way up, they encountered an unconscious person and at that time, he/she was wearing a watch. But when they came back, wala nang relo, the watch was gone,” Pimentel said.

“Last night we had a conversation with Cong. Dong Gonzales in the presence of Majority Floor Leader [Rodolfo] Fariñas, and he recounted to us what happened to his wife,” he added.

“According to Rep. Gonzales, his wife had a watch which is a Rolex, and some jewelries (sic) which are missing already. Aside from that, the credit cards and ATM were also missing.”

“Now what I’ll tell you next is more bizarre,” the Mindanao solon further narrated. “The incident happened on June 2. Upon verification of Rep. Gonzales, there was a withdrawal of P25,000 on June 5. How could that be possible?”

Pimentel said the matter should be investigated, saying “the image of PNP and BFP [is at stake here]. A lot of looting really took place.”

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