http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=129900Ely Buendia undergoes angioplasty; 3rd since 2007 heart attack The manager of Ely Buendia confirmed Monday that the former Eraserheads frontman underwent another angioplasty procedure Monday morning following the band's Saturday reunion concert that was cut short by his hospitalization.
Day Cabuhat, who manages Buendia and his current band Pupil, confirmed that the singer underwent heart surgery earlier in the day. Cabuhat said that the blood vessel that was operated upon is now "100 percent fully restored". She said Buendia is recovering.
An official statement from Radio Head Media Solutions, the producer of the Eraserheads reunion concert, meanwhile, said the band vocalist suffered from "extreme exhaustion" Saturday night. It said Buendia is in "stable condition but still under observation."
On Sunday, record label Sony BMG, told ABS-CBN News that Buendia suffered from hypokalemia, a medical condition in which the concentration of potassium in the blood is low. He was administered with a potassium intravenous fluid for the said condition, the record label added.
Buendia experienced chest pains and reportedly collapsed backstage after the first set of the long-awaited reunion concert, held at the Fort Bonifacio Open Field in Taguig City.
He was transferred to the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) around 1 a.m. Sunday after being treated at the Makati Medical Center's emergency room.
The concert was cut short because of the emergency, While Buendia was being rushed to the hospital, his former bandmates Raimund Marasigan, Buddy Zabala and Marcus Adoro, accompanied by his sister Lally, relayed the unfortunate incident to the fans at the concert.
Buendia, 37, had a previous heart attack in January 2007. He previously underwent two angioplasty procedures (a surgical operation where narrowed or blocked arteries are widened) at the PHC after doctors found at least two blockages in his arteries.
Doctors said the singer has a history of heart disease in his family and was genetically predisposed to it.
Friends, fans react
On Sunday, Buendia's friend, filmmaker Joyce Bernal, denied that the singer suffered a heart attack. She said Buendia suffered chest pains due to the stress brought about by his mother's recent death and exhaustion due to the rehearsals for the concert.
Buendia's mother died of cardiac arrest early morning of August 28. She had been recovering from surgery done just days before to treat her intestinal cancer.
MTV Philippines head Francis Lumen, who co-produced the concert, said that Buendia is resting to recover from stress and exhaustion.
Buendia's family is requesting the media to refrain from interviews and shooting video of the singer.
Bandmembers and Buendia's sister informed the crowd about what happened to the singer, and announced at the concert that the Eraserheads' frontman "is in a lot of physical and emotional stress lately."
Despite his mother's death on August 28, the former Eraserheads vocalist decided to push through with the concert, anyway.
Concert problems
The Eraserheads reunion concert became controversial after its first sponsor, cigarette-maker Philip Morris, was accused of violating Philippine laws prohibiting tobacco companies from sponsoring concerts and other promotional events.
When Philip Morris pulled out of the production due to legal concerns, it was Lumen who took over the sponsorship of the show.
Marasigan said Buendia still pushed through in participating in their reunion concert even with the stress he had gone through lately.
While plans for a DVD release of the concert is being proposed, Marasigan, Zabala and Adoro are still hoping they would all get together onstage soon and perform as the Eraserheads one more time.
The Eraserheads, formed in the late 1980s, was the most successful Filipino band of the 1990s, and is widely credited for reviving the Filipino band scene.
The band broke up in 2002, but the members of the band are still active in the music scene.
With reports from Ginger Conejero, Gretchen Fullido and Jeff Canoy, ABS-CBN News
