In going to big events, especially rock concerts, would entail a lot of risks. You would be either risking you prized possessions, or when worse comes to worst, yourself. The first time that I went to a big rock event (that was for the PULP Summer Slam which was held at The Fort), me and my friend saw a flying monobloc chair at the backstage. My friend got hysterical and dragged me far from the backstage. We then waited for our other friends (where one of them was sleeping in one of the tents because of slammer) to arrive outside the backstage area. Good thing that no one was hurt in our group but I saw someone being brought to the clinic in the backstage with blood running down on his forehead. Still, that did not stop me from going to events because after that, I went to the 9th NU Rock Awards where I almost got caught in a mosh pit. Good thing we arrived there early since we might have been one of those who got injured in a stampede that caused the glass door entrance of the World Trade Center to be broken into pieces. Now, I’ve heard from one of the mailing lists that there was a stampede at the Muziklaban 2005 at the Amoranto Stadium just recently. Read more for the excerpt of the email.

ITO NAKUHA KO SA NEWS. GRABE NAKAKATAKOT

Dalawa ang namatay, dalawa ang na-comatose at anim ang nasugatan nang magkaroon ng stampede sa idinaos na Muziklaban Rock Challenge sa Amoranto Stadium, Roces Avenue, Quezon City kagabi.

Ayon kay PO3 Joseph Dino, idineklarang patay nang isugod sa East Avenue Medical Center ang dalawang hindi pa nakikilalang lalaki matapos umanong madaganan at maipit sa stampede. Sa deskripsyon, kapwa tinatayang nasa 20 taon pataas ang edad ng mga nasawi na nakasuot ng itim na t-shirt at maong na pantalon.

Dakong alas-9:10 kagabi nang unang isugod ng QCPD-Quick Response Unit sa pagamutan ang isa sa dalawang biktima habang ang isa naman ay isinugod sa pagamutan ng Quezon City-Red Cross bandang alas-9:45 kagabi ngunit ang dalawang biktima ay hindi na nailigtas pa sa kamatayan.

Nangingitim umano ang mukha ng dalawang biktima nang dalhin sa ospital, samantala walang nakuhang anumang identification card kaya hindi natukoy ng mga awtoridad ang pagkakakilanlan sa mga ito.

Ayon kay PO2 Jeremy Felix, na-comatose naman sa Capitol Medical Center ang dalawa pang lalaki, isa rito ay nakilalang si Aljay de Dios y Alingasa, 16, ng 16-E Rapararo, Bagong Lote, Potrero, Malabon City.

Samantala isinugod din sa nasabing pagamutan ang apat na lalaki, dalawa dalawa rito ay walang malay, at dalawang babaeng nagtamo ng minor injuries.

Sinabi naman ni Insp. Rogelio Betita, block commander ng PCP-5 ng QCPD-Station 10, nangyari ang stampede pasado alas-otso hanggang alas-nuwebe kagabi nang magtulakan ang napakaraming kabataan na nag-uunahang makapasok sa loob ng stadium.

Umaabot, aniya, sa libu-libong katao ang hindi na nakapasok dahil sa dami ng tao sa loob ng stadium.