14 July 2005 – Philippine Ambassador to the Court of St. James Edgardo B. Espiritu reported to Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alberto G. Romulo that the Philippine Embassy in London has identified two more victims of the bomb blasts that hit Central London on 7 July 2005, and that both victims have been released from hospital after treatment and are now safe in their respective homes.

Ambassador Espiritu said that Ms. Gracia Hornigos, a housekeeper who hails from Iloilo, was riding the Underground (subway) train on the Piccadilly Line on her way to work when it was bombed between the stations of Kings Cross and Russell Square.  She recounted to Philippine consular officials that the train was full of passengers and she was on the tail end of the train’s first carriage.  She added that the explosion occurred shortly after the train left Kings Cross station, adding that it happened on the carriage she was in.  There was a very loud bang that affected her right ear, and she felt like her whole body was being electrocuted.  The lights went out after the explosion and she found her left leg trapped between those of two other victims.  She noticed that the leg of one of her co-passengers had been blown off.  It was only when she reached the lobby of the subway station when she realized that blood drenched her trousers.  She was then brought to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel where she was treated for bruises and scratches on her left leg and left arm.  She also incurred cuts all over her face.  She was discharged the same day.

Ms. Hornigos informed the consular officials that her relatives in the Philippines already know that she is safe although her doctor has advised her to recuperate as she is still in a state of shock and trauma.  She also continues to experience a strong ringing in her right ear and recurring pains in her left leg and arm.

Ambassador Espiritu also confirmed that a third Filipino was injured in the London blasts and is now safe.  The Ambassador said that the Filipino national requested the Embassy for privacy and that no details of the circumstances of this experience be disclosed to the public.

After the blast, Ambassador Espiritu said that the Filipino was admitted to the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead for treatment and was released the same day.  The family of the Filipino national has been informed of all developments on the incident.

Ambassador Espiritu reported to the Department that the London Metropolitan Police has begun the painstaking task of releasing the names of the persons who died from the bomb blasts, which stood at 52 persons as of 11 July 2005.  The Ambassador said there are no reported Filipino fatalities so and no less that the Casualty Bureau of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has confirmed that they have yet no reports of missing persons that have been identified as Filipino or described as Filipino.

Ambassador Espiritu assured Secretary Romulo that the Embassy is monitoring the situation in London and coordinating with local authorities for any information pertaining to Filipino nationals.    Earlier, the Embassy reported that Mrs. Catherine Tantoco Daniel survived the bomb blasts with superficial and non-life threatening injuries.  Mrs. Daniel, the first Filipino to be reported as injured in the blasts, is now recovering at the Royal London Hospital. END
 

/jay