Pinoy dies of heart attack in Mecca

A 63-year-old Filipino died of a heart attack while taking part in the annual pilgrimage to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia, the Office of Muslim Affairs (OMA) reported yesterday.

Undersecretary Datu Zamzamin Ampatuan, OMA executive director, told The STAR in a text message that Malinao Bisok of Saguiran, Lanao del Sur, died of a heart attack and was not among the 244 who died in a stampede at the tent city of Mina during the "stoning of the devil" ritual the other day.

"There were no Filipino casualties during the stampede," he said.

Of the 2,800 pilgrims to Mecca and Medina, about 800 had been treated for minor illnesses, he added.

Ampatuan, who heads the Philippine delegation to the pilgrimage, said the first batch of pilgrims is set to return to the Philippines on Friday.

The annual pilgrimage to Mecca is one of the pillars of Islam.

Every able-bodied Muslim must join the hajj at least once in his lifetime. — Perseus Echeminada