100 Dagupan, Masantol folk downed for food poisoning

By Jennelyn Mondejar and George Trillo

DAGUPAN CITY – Over 100 persons were rushed to hospitals here and in Masantol, Pampanga last week in three separate incidents for food poisoing. In Dagupan, atleast seven people, including a judge, were rushed to hospitals on suspicion they were victims of food poisoning after attending two separate occasions in a hotel here afternoon of June 15.

Dr. Leonard Carbonell, city health officer, said they were checking the food served at the Star Plaza Hotel where the victims, who had complained of abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting, reportedly dined.

Carbonell said they were still unsure if the other guests also suffered similar symptoms or merely did self-medication. “It could be water-borne, food-borne or viral,” said an attending physician, who declined to be identified.

Carbonell said the hotel management welcomed the probe. In Masantol, more than 100 members of a Christian group, including children, were rushed to various hospitals in Pampnag after they exhibited symptoms of food poisoning in remote Sitio San Francisco in Barangay San Isidro Matua in the town.

Masantol Vice Mayor Bajun Lacap said doctors from a local hospital believed they were poisoned after eating spaghetti served during a thanksgiving party held in the house of a certain Nida Roque on evening of June 15. Her son Marlon was to be ordained pastor of their church.

The municipal council, he said, declared a state of calamity in the barangay to make available some funds to assist the victims in their hospitalization expenses. “Our estimate is that there were more than 100 poisoning victims, including several children,” he said.

Gerard Calara, councilor of San Isidro Matua, said Mrs. Roque herself was also hospitalized while her grandson, the son of Marlon, was rushed to the Jose Lingad Memorial Hospital after reportedly convulsing.