PNP: 2 of 5 victims in Pasay rave party died of ecstasy, alcohol overdose

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday announced that drug and alcohol overdose killed two of the five attendees who collapsed during the Pasay City rave party last month.

The announcement was based on the histopathologic and toxicology results released by the PNP Crime Laboratory for 33-year-old Eric Anthony Miller and 18-year old Ken Migawa.

Miller and Migawa were among the five concertgoers who died during the event last May 21.

PNP Crime Laboratory director, Senior Superintendent Emmanuel Aranas, said Miller and Migawa tested positive for ecstasy, which is among the illegal substance seized by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in a raid following the concert.

He added that the toxicology result showed that Migawa and Miller had high levels of alcohol content in their blood, and that alcohol boosted the negative effects of the drugs.

#Camera360autopsy, histopathological at toxicology results ng pnp crime lab kina ken migawa at eric miller.@dzbb pic.twitter.com/ty04w97idM

— Tuesday Niu (@mamutuesday) 7 June 2016

Aranas said both victims died from multiple organ failure, noting that their brains and hearts were damaged, due to the effects of ecstasy and alcohol.

The autopsy also showed massive enlargment of the brain in both victims, as well as abnormalities in cardiac muscle fibers. Excess fluid in the lungs, known as edeme, was also noticed.

Aranas noted that the brains of both victims went through "massive enlargement," which was deemed "irreversible." Autopsy findings also noted abnormalities on cardiac muscle fibers and severe edema, or swelling due to excessive liquid, of the lungs.

Meanwhile, traces of methylenedioxycathinone were found on Migawa. According to Aranas, the said drug is "relatively 'new.'"

Results also found that alcohol "boosted the effects of the drugs."

Other fatalities

Aside from Migawa and Miller, the other fatalities were Ariel Leal, 22; Bianca Fontejon, 18; and Lance Garcia, 32.

Only Leal was not examined by authorities upon the request of his family.

During the House of Representatives' investigation on the incident on Monday, the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) said four illegal drugs were possibly linked to the deaths of the five concertgoers. These include ecstacy, green amore, green apple and the so called ‘fly high.’

The police said during the hearing that they did not find evidence that illegal drugs were sold at the rave party.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the DDB said that the party drugs are being sold online. —Kiersnerr Gerwin Tacadena and Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/ALG/RSJ, GMA News