Autopsy on concert victims: Heart failure, swollen brains

MANILA, Philippines - Autopsies conducted on the bodies of two of the five persons who died following a 10-hour concert-party in Pasay City over the weekend showed they died of heart failure and their brains were swollen, an official said yesterday.

“No ruptured organs. For the organs, I can only say there was edema in the (victims’) brains. They were swollen,” Superintendent Bonnie Chua, who heads the Southern Police District (SPD) crime laboratory, said of the results of autopsies done on the bodies of Ken Migawa, 18, and Eric Anthony Miller, 33, an American.

Chua talked to reporters shortly after the end of a case conference by the SPD’s special investigation task group, formed to probe the deaths of the five concert-goers and headed by SPD director Senior Superintendent Eusebio Mejos.

Aside from Miller and Migawa, Bianca Fontejon, 18; Lance Garcia, 36; and Ariel Leal, 22, were reported dead after attending the Closeup Forever Summer concert at the SM Mall of Asia concert grounds.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) also conducted autopsies on the bodies of Fontejon and Garcia and found that they also suffered from “massive heart attacks.”

Chua said Miller and Migawa’s body fluids and tissues were tested to determine what caused the victims’ hearts to fail.

The official also said the autopsy also showed Miller and Migawa were dehydrated as there was no urine in their bodies.

It was earlier reported that some of those who attended the concert reportedly sold party drugs such as ecstasy and green amore during the event.

Who’s in charge of security?

One of the organizers of the concert, Eventscape Manila, said in a letter submitted to the NBI yesterday morning that the firm was not in charge of security detail deployment.

Eventscape representative Gizzelle Co said the city government asked the firm to present their guidelines in access zones, security measures and emergency and evacuation plans.

She said 442 security personnel were deployed, according to the security plan for the event.

The security detail included 90 police officers and 70 security personnel from SM Malls were deployed around the perimeter of the venue. They were asked to patrol every two hours to check any suspicious activity.

Around 250 bouncers were also assigned within and outside the concert grounds.

Co also said 10 police officers were deployed in the venue for intelligence gathering and 18 K-9 teams were on hand to check for bombs and illegal drugs.

Ten closed-circuit television cameras were installed around the venue.

Five medical tents, with one field hospital, were put up around the concert grounds. Six ambulances were also on standby.

No deals

Pasay police chief Superintendent Joel Doria said undercover police officers deployed in the venue reported that they did not see any illegal transactions.

Task group spokesperson Superintendent Jenny Tecson said the police officers’ actions will be evaluated as she stressed that the city police was only tasked to secure the vicinity of the concert venue. She said at least 12,000 people attended the concert.

She said the possibility of illegal drugs being sold at the venue was not factored in during the planning of the event.

PNP eyes bigger role

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is eyeing a proactive role for police officers in big parties and events to prevent the sale of party drugs.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor said there should be a whole government approach for big events, similar to the planning of government agencies for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and papal visit.

He said the police is currently limited to securing the perimeter of an event and maintaining peace and order.

“The PNP, event organizers plus the security should work together. It is a shared responsibility of the organizer and law enforcement and local government units to ensure the strict implementation of the law, especially the law against illegal drugs,” Mayor said.

He said concert organizers should allow police officers inside the venue to beef up their private security detail.

Mayor also said local governments should require event organizers to post a bond to ensure “there is seed money to support the victims.”– With Cecille Suerte Felipe