Azrael's Merryland Blog - 2003-2023

Wowowee Anniversary party tragic incident

61 killed in ULTRA stampede

Sixty-one people were killed in a stampede at ULTRA stadium in Pasig City on Saturday as they lined up to get tickets for the popular gameshow "Wowowee," police and local officials said.

They said the crush at the stadium came when organizers of the first anniversary celebration of the gameshow began handing out tickets to people, many of whom had been camping outside for days.

Some witnesses said chaos erupted when someone in the crowd shouted "bomb," but others said that people surged forward when guards began giving out tickets at around dawn.

Most of the victims were elderly and were crushed against a steel fence at one gate into the stadium.

"We were happy. We only wanted to have fun and then this thing happened," Nimfa Santos said on local radio, adding she had been waiting with a group of women. "I don't know what happened to the others."

Bodies of the victims were lined up on the street outside the stadium, their faces covered with sheets and blankets.

"My mum died," Alberto Herrera said on radio. "Please help me. I don't know what to do."

Dozens of people were hurt. But Pasig Mayor Vicente Eusebio said he did not expect the death toll to rise.

The noontime show "Wowowee" is one of the most-watched in the Philippines, offering large prizes of cash and merchandise.

DZMM also reported that a total of 145 people were hurt during the stampede and are currently confined at the Rizal Medical Center (RMC) in Pasig City.

According to Dr. Tito Marcial of RMC, a total of 10 people are confirmed dead from the stampede in the hospital.

Rescue groups like the Philippine Red Cross have already deployed teams to the area.

A Phillipine Army truck arrived to transport the fatalities to the Arlington Funeral Homes in Pasig City and to the Medical City also in Pasig.

A separate DZMM report said that one of the fatalities was identified as one Belen Comia of Sampaloc, Manila. She was identified through her postal ID.

The Wowowee entertainment group called on all those who have tickets to the show Saturday afternoon and are still at their residences to forego their plans to watch the show, which will be aired as scheduled in the afternoon but as a public service program to help the victims.

Vice-President Noli de Castro arrived at ULTRA around 10:20 a.m. He declined to grant interviews.

De Castro was in his morning show over DZMM when the news of the stampede was first reported in the station.

The ABS-CBN management had announced it will shoulder the medical and funeral cost of the victims of the stampede. abs-cbnNEWS.com/Reuters

//* we were shocked when we heard this on the AM radio at around 8am, while I was taking my breakfast a sudden newsflash was break the radio silence during the radio comemntary of Vice Pres. Noli de Castro, then after hearing the news, we waited for a TV advisory/ update and then at around 10am, ABS CBN shows were blocked and on stand by for the live update on this tragic accident.

i already felt that incident during attending some concerts and were glad that we were'nt hurt that much, but on what happened to ULTRA, the organizing of the event is bad and well not prepared. I hope this serves us a lesson and lets avoid this incident on future events. *//