MANILA - The task force investigating a deadly weekend stampede at a game show taping here said yesterday that organizers ABS-CBN failed to provide security for fans and could be held criminally liable.

Not having any contingency plans "borders on irresponsible and incompetent management of the situation at best, to criminal negligence and endangerment leading to the loss of life at worst," the task force said.

The task force, created by President Gloria Arroyo in the wake of Saturday's tragedy, said both producers and staff working on the popular noontime game show "Wowowee" were to blame for the stampede, which left 74 people dead.

Some 30,000 people, mostly from urban poor communities and the majority of them women and the elderly, had queued to see a taping of the show, hoping to win cash and prizes.
The huge crowd had surged towards the main entrance of the sports stadium in the Manila suburb of Pasig, destroying a metal gate and trampling one another. Some 400 people were injured in the melee.

Earlier, the head of the task force, Interior Undersecretary Marius Corpus, said fans had been "treated like animals" by executives from ABS-CBN, the country's biggest television network.

"Offering a few tickets to so many people can be likened to throwing a small piece of meat to a pack of wolves and this triggered the stampede," he added, noting that at least three ABS-CBN executives could face criminal charges.

ABS-CBN chief executive Eugenio Lopez said the company has a solid track record, refuting statements made by the task force, which submitted its report to Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez for further action.

"I am responsible and I will hold myself accountable should our justice system so determine in the future," Lopez said in a statement.

"There will be no whitewash. We will continue to work with the government and its agencies," he said, adding that he was "outraged" by Corpus's statements.

Gonzalez said he expected the firm to cooperate, adding that based on the task force's findings, it appeared that ABS-CBN, as the show's producer, was criminally liable for the stampede.

"The investigation does not stop here. There will be further investigations," Corpus said.

While there appeared to be "no willful intent" to harm or cause injury, ABS-CBN officials could be charged with "reckless imprudence and negligence" leading to homicide, he added.

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a statement that the government would leave "the prosecution of those who would be found liable" for the accident to the proper authorities.
He said "corrective measures" based on the findings of the panel should be made to prevent the repetition of such an accident in the future.

Fans dreaming of winning the top prize of P1 million, cars, tricycles and other prizes had lined up for days outside the stadium to get tickets for the taping of "Wowowee".

The crowd grew to about 30,000 as of late Friday and there were only three ambulance crews on standby. Before dawn Saturday, guards started distributing raffle stubs, causing a commotion in the crowd.

"The gate was closed after it had been opened momentarily which agitated the people even more, resulting in pushing and shoving each other which later toppled the metal barricade," Corpus said.

"This caused the stampede, resulting in injuries and deaths."

In the past, ABS-CBN organized two previous shows at which people were also hurt in similar stampedes, Corpus noted.

"It's apparent that lessons have not been learned," he said.*AFP

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