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February 05, 2006
Someone Has to be Criminally Liable for that Wowowee Stampede
Where did ABS-CBN get their AVP for security, Rene Luspo? It doesn't take one to be a rocket scientist to realize he's hopelessly incompetent.
First of all, he suggested that one of the entrances to the show be the entrance that slopes and is of rough terrain. If people would surge on this kind of surface, it would be difficult to push them back. This is where the stampede happened. Incredibly, Luspo admitted that they were expecting an unruly crowd. So why did he suggest this entrance, which Ultra officials said they don't even use?
Secondly, there was no contingent plan for the eventuality of an unruly crowd. It was a “react when something happens” sort of plan. He shrugs off the stampede as “things happen.” He should be made to face the victims' families and give that statement.
Thirdly, there was no coordination with the other entities involved in that fiasco of a show. Luspo, as head honcho of security, did not bother to meet with the police, fire department and Ultra officials as one body to determine contingency plans. His strategy when things were getting out of hand: hold the barriers!
Yet, Luspo cannot be totally blamed. Wowowee organizers booked Ultra which could only hold 17,000 people, yet they admitted they were expecting an estimated 30,000 spectators. What gives? Were they just after the boast that they could attract so much people and then hope they could just turn away those who would not be able to get in?
How cruel of them to dangle money before the “masa” when they already knew a majority would be turned away. Yet that's what Wowowee is all about. It's a game show that disguises the promotion of mendicancy. They claim they simply want to make people happy. Willie Revillame kept of harping on that my ears almost bled. In my opinion, they're using the masses to earn money from the show's various sponsors. So what's utterly important is ratings, ratings, ratings ... which explains the non-stop plug-ins of the anniversary in spite of the fact they could only accommodate 17,000.
So now more than 70 people have died and hundreds more injured. Someone, somewhere has to be criminally liable!
As for Willie Revillame, I'm gong to work hard for him ... to get nominated for a Famas award for best dramatic actor in a talk show.
Posted by francis at February 5, 2006 08:56 PM
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