MANILA, 9 March 2006 — Investigators yesterday recommended the filing of criminal charges against several executives of television network ABS-CBN and “Wowowee” host Wilfredo Revillame over a stampede that killed 74 people and injured over 600 in Manila’s suburb of Pasig last month.
A report to the Department of Justice by National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) officer-in-charge Nestor Mantaring said a number of ABS-CBN executives led by Executive Vice President Charo Santos-Concio were liable for “reckless imprudence resulting to multiple homicide and multiple injuries” in the stampede at the government-run PhilSports Arena, better known as Ultra.
The NBI report also recommended the filing of administrative charges against Pasig City Mayor Vicente Eusebio for failing to require ABS-CBN to submit a security plan before issuing a permit.
Eusebio had vehemently rejected responsibility for the tragedy, which probers said was triggered by an announcement by show organizers’ that the first few hundreds to enter the Ultra would get free tickets.
Thousands of fans hoping to win prizes — including one million pesos ($19,585) rushed one of the stadium gates at dawn on Feb. 4 after it became apparent that not everyone would get tickets to the show, NBI senior officer Roel Lasala said in a news conference.
The others culprits, according to the NBI list, were Ma. Socorro Vidanes, senior vice president for television; Marilou Almaden, executive producer for Broadcast Center; Cipriano “Rene” Luspo, chief of security; Norberto Vidanes, director of Wowowee; Morly Stewart, Wowowee executive producer and manager; Harold James Nueva, assistant producer for sets and technical; Rey Cayabyab, assistant location manager; Mel Feliciano, assistant director; and Jean Owen Garcia, floor director.
PhilSports Arena engineer Jess Velardo and Erlinda Reis of the Ultra Booking and Events coordinator; Rosenbar Viloria, staff director for operations of Goldlink Security Agency; Wilfron Onanad and Chito Payumo, both security-in-charge of Goldlink Security.
The NBI report absolved the Metro Manila Development Authority and police from any liability. It said ABS-CBN did not coordinate with the MMDA and that the assistance the government agency provided after the stampede was voluntary.
Ferdie Lavin, head of the NBI probe team, said no police official was held liable for the stamped because what happened was no breakdown of peace and order but rather “ a failure in crowd control management.”
Lavin said police were in the streets watching for criminals while the stadium guards provided security inside and the ABS-CBN guards handled crowd control on the outside.
While vowing to cooperate with the DOJ when it begins evaluating the recommendations of the NBI, ABS-CBN complained that the NBI team’s findings were “without factual or legal basis.”
“We are concerned ... regarding the selective manner in which NBI conducted the investigation, particularly in not charging members of the police and overlooking and disregarding their negligence and culpabilities,” said the network in a statement.
An initial investigation led by Undersecretary Marius Corpuz of the Department of Interior and Local Government accused ABS-CBN of treating thousands of hopeful contestants like animals.
ABS-CBN lawyer Reggie Puno denied that the station had not been negligent in preparing for the popular gameshow.
In the press conference yesterday, Lasala said ABS-CBN, being the game show host, could not escape responsibility.
“If you are the event host, you must be responsible for the preparations,” he said. (With reports from agencies)
