Youth party-list seeks House probe on Pasay concert deaths

Reelected party-list group Kabataan on Monday asked the House of Representatives to launch an investigation into the deaths of five people, including an American national, after they collapsed during a concert party in Pasay City.

Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon filed House Resolution No. 2704 asking the House Committees on Dangerous Drugs and Youth and Sports to jointly conduct an investigation into the allegedly drug-related deaths of Ariel Leal, Lance Garcia, Ken Migawa, Bianca Fontejon and Eric Miller, who attended the “CloseUp Forever Summer” party.

Ridon quoted reports saying that the drinks distributed during the party were laced with “Green Amore”–a mix of ecstasy and shabu.

“There are questions that investigators need to answer: If dangerous drugs were indeed available in the party venue, how were they able to slip in such substances? Are the concessionaires inside the venue involved? Clearly, the ‘stringent security measures’ or ‘precautions’ did not deter the proliferation of said dangerous substances. And surely what had transpired in the concert is not an isolated case,” Ridon said in a statement.

READ: Drugs? Dehydration? Probe of Pasay concert deaths on

The probe seeks to craft a new legislation  to curb drug proliferation.

“We need to craft legislation that balances anti-drug policy and public safety. While we do not condone the use of dangerous drugs in any event whatsoever, there are certain finer details that need to be considered in enacting a new law against drug proliferation,” Ridon added.

The lawmaker said that Congress should strike a balance between drug prevention and harm reduction.

Two of the victims died after suffering heart failure.

READ: 5 dead at Pasay City concert

The police are still conducting a thorough probe, even looking at possible heatstroke or dehydration suffered by the victims. JE/rga