February a month of death and destruction

Last February 4, a columnist of the Philippine Free Press Benito J. Legarda Jr. wrote: "Never in Philippine history had there been a month so full of death and destruction as February 1945. We pray that never again will there be such a month." His column was on the American liberation of Manila from the Japanese forces when 100,000 innocent Filipino civilians, 16,000 Japanese defenders and 1,000 Americans died. That very same day, the Philsports Arena (formerly known as Ultra) stampede took place leaving 74 people dead and 600 others injured. Going back farther in history, Manila was almost totally destroyed by a fire on February 28, 1583. To make things worst, a Department of Justice official has warned the public that the Abu Sayyaf terrorists allegedly have a plan to launch a second Valentine’s Day attack in Metro Manila. Last Valentine’s Day, four persons were killed and hundreds wounded in a Valentine's Day bombing in Makati City.

The Philippine National Police, the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the DOJ are working together to prevent such an attack. But everyone should be on full alert. It is now obvious that a stampede can cause as many deaths and injuries as a bomb explosion. So we should be alert over terrorists who would try to cause a stampede wherever there is a big crowd. They can do this not by taking bombs, but by simply taking a tape recorder that will blare out "Bomba! Bomba!" in crowded places. People will panic and cause a stampede that will be a repeat of the one in Ultra.

Saint Valentine’s Day is a day when people send cards to their loved ones. Last year, terrorists used the day to kill and injure innocent people right in the commercial center of our metropolis. The good thing about the St. Valentine’s celebration is that it does not involve crowds. It concerns only the romantic relation between two persons. Why terrorists want to mar the celebration by bombing innocent housewives going to market and children going to school shows how distorted a terrorist’s mind can get.

The Ultra stampede was indeed unfortunate. The good thing is that it was not the work of terrorists. It was the result of poor planning and lack of coordination among the organizers of the show, the security of the Ultra and the local police. Unfortunately, there are indications that show that the people who stampeded were mostly men and the persons who were crushed were mostly old women. This is one aspect that should be looked into in the investigation. Filipinos are known for the great respect and consideration they always show for women. The Ultra stampede seems to belie this.