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By Katrice R. Jalbuena, Reporter
“Most of what we see [in the victims] are
lacerations and fractures and blunt force trauma.” said Dr.
Ramoncilio Coronel, Ospital ng Makati’s chief of clinic when asked
on the condition of the bomb blast victims.
“Lacerations from falling glass, fractures
from falling debris and blunt trauma from debris as well as the
shockwaves of the blast. Most patients will be discharged tonight,
but there are about nine who will need to be confined,” he added.
“These are bad injuries for an LPG
explosion,” said Dr. Dave Dato, an emergency room doctor. “We
have several people with internal trauma, from what would seem to be
blunt force trauma from strong shockwaves or pressure.”
Dr. Dato points to Ricardo Beltra’s name,
noting that the force had burst his spleen.
“We also have three bad head injuries,” Dr.
Dato pointed to Bodie Escoto’s name. “He was transferred to
Makati Med, unconscious and suffering from what would seem to be a
subdural hematoma or bleeding in the brain.”
Two victims of head injuries Sheila Mae Tiongson
and Lea Gaspin Imbon were at the Makati Med and Pembro,
respectively.
On the night of the attack, Health Secretary
Francisco T. Duque 3rd
visited the emergency room to check on the
victims.
“The Department of Health and the Philippine
government are extending all possible support to the victims,”
assured the Health Secretary. “I am here to check the conditions,
make sure they have everything they need. If they need
anything—bandages or anti-tetanus serum—the DOH is ready to
bring them these things right away.”
The health secretary also promised that the
victims need not spend a peso on their medical treatment.
“The government will pay for it through
PhilHealth,” stated Duque. “There has also been an offer from
Ayala Land. Whatever will not be covered by PhilHealth, Ayala Land
is willing to shoulder.”
Irving Rodriguez was waiting for wife Teresa,
who was hit by debris and falling glass. Her leg might have been
fractured and had a deep cut. He sports a bandage in his left hand
where glass had cut him. Several patches of blood were on the cuffs
of his pants. He was not sure if they were his, or his wife’s or
of strangers.
“Siguro, once lang this year kami pumunta sa
Glorietta [Maybe we had gone to Glorietta only once this year.],”
he says ruefully, carrying his one-year old daughter Angela.
“Tapos, kakapasok lang namin sa Glorietta galing Landmark [We had
only entered Glorietta from Landmark (mall)].”
Angela has remained more or less unscathed,
quietly cradled in her father’s uninjured arm. His arm tightens
around her as he narrated the sound of the explosion and the
creeping darkness that descended and the cloud of dust that rose up,
giving them difficulty in breathing.
He said he huddled Angela close to him, worried
that she might smother on the dust, then he got his family out of
the mall.
Several hours after the blast there are still
more questions then answers.
Bystanders and the media were barred from
entering the emergency room itself. A white board listing the number
of casualties brought to the hospital was posted just outside the
door. Every hour or so, a doctor comes out and wrote updates on said
board.
Thirty four people were initially brought to the
Ospital ng Makati for treatment. Two were moved to the Ospital ng
Makati-Pembo facility and four to the Makati Medical Center.
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