A Philippine soldier keeps watch at a blast site at a night market that has left several people dead and wounded others in southern Davao city, Philippines late Friday Sept. 2, 2016. The powerful explosion in Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s hometown in the southern Philippines took place amid a security alert due to a major offensive against Abu Sayyaf militants in the region, officials said. (AP Photo/Manman Dejeto)
DAVAO CITY—The death toll of the Sept. 2 night market bombing here has risen to 15 with the death on Monday of a 21-year old expectant mother, who was in critical condition.
Vicenta Depalubos Asperin, who was six-month pregnant, died at the Metro Davao Medical and Research Center at 10:17 p.m. on Monday, 11 days after she lapsed into a coma due to injuries suffered from the blast that immediately killed 14 and injured more than 70 others.
Quoting a medical report, the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) said Asperin died of heart failure and brain damage.
Her unborn baby also died but authorities counted the mother and unborn child as one.
“Based on the notes from the Local Civil Registrar, the counting should be one because the unborn baby remained inside the mother’s womb,” CSSDO Chief Ma. Luisa Bermudo said. “They were not separated.”
A massage therapist, Asperin was among the severely injured victims in the Sept. 2 blast. A splinter entered her nose and went straight to her brain.
Her brother, Gregorio Depalubos, said Asperin was declared brain-dead by her attending physician a few minutes before her last breath. “The doctors declared her brain-dead and she expired just after a few minutes,” Depalubos said.
Depalubos said his sister fell into a coma shortly after she was brought to the hospital the night of the blast.
Asperin’s husband, John Lord, was in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley Province, when the blast happened.
The two got married in March and were expecting their first baby girl in December.