Scores dead in game show stampede (SOURCE: INQ7.net)

The Philippine Red Cross has revised its earlier count of 88 dead and brought it down to 73 after discovering that some of the fatalities in the stampede in Pasig Saturday morning had been counted twice.
Philippine Red Cross chief and Senator Richard Gordon also said 392 others were injured in Philsport arena (formerly known as Ultra) when thousands stampeded for stadium seats to a popular noontime television game show.

Most of the 392 people injured were not in serious condition, and many had been treated and released, Gordon added.

Thousands of people stampeded into the Philsport arena in Manila at dawn to secure limited seats hours ahead of the live broadcast of a popular noontime television variety show called "Wowowee" on broadcast giant ABS-CBN.

The show offered a top prize of one million pesos, a house and lot, and a car for its anniversary commemorated today.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who visited the site of the tragedy, expressed sorrow over the incident and ordered all government agencies to extend their full support to the victims.

She also gave government investigators 72 hours to submit the results of their probe into the tragedy.

The cause of the incident is still under investigation. Some officials have said that a person in the crowd had shouted "bomb," triggering the stampede but survivors and police investigators said it was just the sheer crush of people, surging into a narrow passageway to enter the stadium.

Aside from De Castro, Senator Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, and Metro Manila police chief Vidal Querol were on hand early to assist the victims, most of who were brought to the Rizal Medical Center and Medical City.

The stampede erupted at around 6 a.m. as thousands, including those who had been camped outside the stadium since Wednesday, were lined up to watch “Wowowee.”

Television footage showed Army and Red Cross personnel loading the remains of the victims on military trucks.

“We will extend assistance to the victims. We will also look at the liabilities,” Pasig City Mayor Vicente Eusebio said in a separate interview.

ABS-CBN anchor Karen Davila announced on air that the Lopez-owned network was “saddened” by the tragedy and would shoulder the medical and funeral expenses of the victims.

Quoting initial reports, Querol said the stampede erupted after a heckler shouted to the crowd that there was a bomb.

“We are looking at the lack of a security arrangement,” Eastern Police District (EPD) Chief Director Oscar Calderon told reporters.

Bodies covered with blankets were still lying on the street outside the stadium as paramedics prioritized those still alive so they could be taken to hospitals.

A little boy was seen crying over the body of his mother, trying to awaken her.

Relatives of the dead said they were told that tickets to the show were supposed to be given out starting at 6 a.m. By 7 a.m., the restive crowd started pushing and shoving to get inside the gates.

Some were clambering up the roof while others were squeezing their bodies inside the gates that were being opened at times.

Thousands of people were still streaming through the area after the incident, milling around dead bodies and blocking the entry of ambulances.

Discarded shoes and slippers along with broken bottles and food were scattered all around the stadium.