Drugs flowed in tragic outdoor party
An outdoor dance party filled with 14,000 people turned tragic over the weekend following the death of five random concert-goers.
At least two – Bianca Fontejon, 18; and Lance Garcia, 36 – died of massive heart attacks due to high blood pressure, kidney failure and dehydration – all indicators of drug overdose.
The causes of deaths of the other three, namely: Ariel Leal, 22; American Eric Anthony Miller, 33; and Ken Migawa, 18 are still being investigated by police.
Police cited four possible causes: Drugs, food poisoning, heart stroke and stampede.
The rampant use of party drugs is an open secret among partygoers, showing the government’s seeming helplessness in curbing the menace.
Micaela Loraine Garcia, a self-confessed 21 partygoer, said she was not surprised when she heard the news.
“I am not surprised that happened. Drugs were everywhere,” said Garcia, claiming she saw different varieties of illegal drugs during the event.
“Bawal drugs ‘di ba? I don’t know paano nakakapasok, may mga dalang weed, ecstasy (Drugs were prohibited. I don’t know how drugs got in. There were people with marijuana, ecstacy),” Garcia said.
Most, if not all of the attendees belong to well-heeled families as gleaned from the prices of the entrance tickets. Garcia said she bought hers for a promo price of R2,500, adding the cheapest regular tickets were sold for R4,000. She said that special VIP tickets cost up to R20,000.
She blamed what she thought was the lax security in the venue – an open parking ground of a major mall in Pasay City.
“Magaling magtago mga tao eh. Nasa labas ka pa lang ng event, sobrang haba ng pila pero hindi naman nila tsine-check [ang] bags eh. Bibigyan ka ng wristband kapag may ticket tapos ‘yon ang dadaan sa scanner (The people were good at concealing the drugs. The event was held outdoors; there were long lines. But they did not check the bags. You were given a wristband for your ticket),” Garcia narrated.
The drugs were already all around the concert venue. There was a pre-party thing which I never attend. Or the others likely took the drugs in their cars. I have nothing against them; most of those who got in looked rich,” said Garcia in Tagalog
She said she even saw a group of minors hitting it off even before the party started.
“Saw a group of teens mga 15 to 16 age, nagwa-WariActiv. ‘Yong laughing gas,” she added. WariActiv is a spray medication used to prevent pain caused by injections and minor surgical procedures.
With loud music blaring from the speakers and the crowd getting wilder every minute, Garcia said a young man, in his early 20s, offered her something which she suspected as ecstasy.
“Makulit siya, persistent. Akala ko kung ano, hindi pa ako aware, akala ko mints. He asked ‘Do you wanna take one?’ I think some would sell it from R800 to R1,500 (A young man offered me what I first thought were mints),” Garcia said.
Good thing, Garcia was with her five other friends and declined the offer.
Rave parties, according to Garcia, are for listening to good music, seeing international disc jockeys (DJs) perform live, while in the company of friends.
However, she lamented that it seemed the essence of rave parties are starting to take a different shape these days.
“It’s okay to drink a little and loosen up a bit, but drugs?” she asked. “You can have fun by making responsible choices. Drugs are not cool. It fries your brain while it gets you high. Just enjoy the good music with good company.”