THE PHILIPPINE National Police on Tuesday confirmed that party drugs\u2014enhanced by alcohol\u2014were to blame for the death of two of the five partygoers who collapsed at an outdoor concert in Pasay City on May 21.<\/p>\n\n
In a press briefing in Camp Crame, PNP Crime Lab director Chief Supt. Emmanuel Aranas cited the results of forensic tests conducted on Kenimichi Miyagawa (not Migawa as earlier reported), 18, and American Eric Anthony Miller, 33.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cBoth victims took MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine) and other combinations and they also took alcohol,\u201d Aranas told reporters. MDMA is commonly known as the party drug ecstasy.<\/p>\n\n
Both Miyagawa and Miller died of \u201cmultiple organ failure due to effect of the drugs, enhanced further by the alcohol,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n
Aranas noted that the PNP findings were similar to that of the National Bureau of Investigation which examined two other fatalities, Bianca Fontejon, 18, and Lance Garcia, 36. The family of the fifth victim, Ariel Leal, 22, waived their right to have his body autopsied.<\/p>\n\n
Earlier, the NBI said Fontejon and Garcia were positive for MDMA methylene homolog, a laboratory drug considered unfit for human or animal use. One of them also ingested synthetic cathinones, more commonly known as bath salts. The substances\u2014which are not yet considered illegal under the Dangerous Drugs Act\u2014damaged the victims\u2019 hearts and internal organs.<\/p>\n\n
Based on the results of the autopsy, histopathological examination and toxicology tests, Aranas said Miyagawa and Miller had traces of PMA (para-methoxyamphetamine) and MDA (methylenedioxyamphetamine)\u2014both \u201cmetabolites\u201d of MDMA\u2014in their blood and stomach contents.<\/p>\n\n
At the same time, Miyagawa tested positive for MDC (3, 4-methylenedioxycathinone) and Miller, for amphetamine.<\/p>\n\n
Tests showed that both men suffered swelling in their brains and lungs and damage in the kidney tissues and hearts. Their vital organs, particularly their hearts and brains, sustained a lot of strain due to the substances they ingested, Aranas said.<\/p>\n\n\n
MDMA targets heart, brain<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cThe first target of the MDMA, especially if it\u2019s combined with something else, are the heart and the brain. There\u2019s a big possibility their heartbeat sped up and strained the heart. And because there\u2019s a problem with the circulation of blood, the brain will be affected. It will be deprived of oxygen. There are a lot of body parts that will be affected,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n \u201cMDMA also affects neurotransmitters \u2026 and normal chemicals in the brain so it becomes erratic. You then notice behavioral changes like hyperactivity. Residual [effects] are memory loss and [decreased] analytical functions,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is a vicious cycle that doesn\u2019t end. You will be constantly affected until there is a loss of function in the organs. The victims may slowly lose consciousness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n All five victims fell unconscious in different areas of the concert grounds and were brought to the hospital where they died hours later. They did not appear to have known each other, authorities said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" THE PHILIPPINE National Police on Tuesday confirmed that party drugs\u2014enhanced by alcohol\u2014were to blame for the death of two of the five partygoers who collapsed at an outdoor concert in Pasay City on May 21.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":787006,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36,34,38,47],"tags":[1481,206080,41955,179010],"byline":[104],"source":[206078],"column":[],"editor":[170633],"videographer":[],"position":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n