PROBE PANEL SUMMONS ABS-CBN EXECS: Security blames disaster on mob

The security chief of television network ABS-CBN blamed yesterday the unruly crowd for the weekend stampede at the Philsports Arena (formerly Ultra) that left 74 people dead and more than 600 others injured.

"People started pushing and shoving one another, that's why the steel barrier gave in that eventually led to the stampede," Rene Luspo told the fact-finding panel headed by Interior and Local Government Undersecretary Marius Corpus.

Luspo and other ABS-CBN executives, as well as "Wowowee" game show host Willie Revillame were summoned for questioning by the panel, created by the Department of Interior and Local Government upon the orders of President Arroyo.

The show's production and security staff were also asked to appear before the body, which aimed to determine whether gross negligence caused the tragedy, Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said. It was not clear whether the panel would recommend criminal liabilities. But Transportation and Communications Secretary Leandro Mendoza separately said the probe would determine the "possible culpability" of the show executives.

The fact-finding panel has not set any additional hearings as it will assess the testimonies of the witnesses, who already testified. It will submit its findings and recommendations to the Department of Justice to determine the culpability of those involved in the incident.

A police official from the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO), who asked not to be named, said investigators are "looking into the organizers' preparations and if they fully complied with them and whether they secured a permit from the local government unit and the local police." The official said it is too early to say that ABS-CBN was to blame for the tragedy.

NCRPO chief Director Vidal Querol said the DILG panel's initial findings "showed that there is only one gate to accommodate the thousands of people who expressed a desire to join and watch the show. He said ABS-CBN organizers fielded 160 security guards to man the area and erected steel barriers near the gates.

At least 100 uniformed policemen were deployed to control the flow of traffic and arrest petty criminals.

"We have no participation in the maintenance of the gates," Querol said. Up to 25,000 people, mostly from urban communities, had gathered for days at the Philsports Arena where Revillame had planned to hand out major prizes for the show's anniversary telecast last Saturday. "Wowowee" offered minibuses, houses, and a top cash prize of P1 million to the first 300 people to enter the venue.

A stampede broke out when a steel barrier was suddenly opened, leading to a frantic scramble for prime seats.

The crowd started "shoving and pushing each other upon learning that only limited number of persons could be allowed entry. Yung mga tao na hindi nakapila ang nag-simulang nagtulak (Those who were not in line were the ones who started shoving)," Luspo said.

Marlou Almaden, ABS-CBN business unit head, who said "we pleaded to the people to move back but they kept on moving forward and forward," corroborated Luspo's statement.

"Most of them were women complaining that they were being pushed. We have been pleading the night before but they didn't listen," Almaden said. "The crowd was becoming rowdy so we asked for security (to be beefed up starting) 12 midnight."

Almaden said at around 4 a.m., the crowd started to thicken and organizers planned to open one of the gates to decongest. Though there was an area relatively free of people, many "insisted on staying in the congested area," she added.

Almaden was trapped at the ticketing distribution near the St. Martin Street entrance. There are two gates: one at St. Martin Street for people who will be accommodated at the covered gymnasium, the show's actual venue, while those going through the Capt. Javier Street entrance would watch the show on a big television screen at the open field beside the gym.

Luspo, who has been the network's security chief since July 2005, said he was with 77 guards at the St. Martin entrance because he thought it was weaker, security-wise. Only 23 guards were deployed to man the Capt. Javier entrance, where a larger crowd had converged.

Luspo said the bleachers on the open filed could accommodate 8,000 people, a smaller bleacher take in another 2,000, and the covered gym 9,000.

He said the network had done enough security preparation weeks prior to the game show's anniversary last Feb. 4.

Luspo said he did not deploy security guards outside the barrier, where the stampede took place. He said there were 107 security guards, including him, manning the area occupied by the Wowowee audience. "We (ABS-CBN security group and Philsports Arena management) talked about the security. Ultra would take care of entrances and inside the compound while ABS-CBN (is in charge of) crowd control outside the compound," he said.

Luspo said Philsports Arena's security personnel would check bags and frisk those entering the arena for explosives and other deadly implements.

When asked if he considered the possibility of a riot, he answered in the affirmative, but pointed out "we don't make plans (for a possible riot), we recognize the police. The police is always there to help us."

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Oscar Valenzuela, another member of the fact-finding panel, asked Luspo if a guard was in charge of the area where the stampede occurred. Luspo said there was, but did not give any name.

Valenzuela said they have no evidence to back up reports that somebody had shouted about the presence of a bomb, which triggered the stampede.

"We interviewed at least 50 survivors and took statements of 10 witnesses, but the said angle failed to come up," he said.

Earlier, Pasig City Police chief Senior Superintendent Raul Medina said he deployed policemen as early as Friday night to ensure that there would be no pickpockets and other petty crimes. Medina added that he initially deployed 83 policemen, along with 50 District Mobile Group personnel, 25 traffic enforcers, 20 barangay tanods, and mobile barangay personnel.

ABS-CBN's counsel Reggie Puno, during yesterday's hearing, said neither ABS-CBN executive vice president Charo Santos-Concio nor Revillame could shed light on the stampede. Revillame just "gets on the stage to host the show and games," Puno said. Corpus vowed to meet the 72-hour deadline given by the President, who confirmed the creation of a taskforce initially created by DILG Secretary Angelo Reyes.

Reyes assured that the taskforce will not be "pressured" by the fact that ABS-CBN is a large network with some measure of "influence."