Village in Laguna City bans sale of deadly ‘lambanog’

SAN PEDRO CITY—A village in Calamba City in Laguna province has banned the sale of a brand of “lambanog,” a local coconut wine, following the deaths of four villagers and of four other people in another city who drank the liquor.

Dr. Dennis Labro, Calamba city health officer, said what health officials were “concerned about now” was the way local manufacturers process and package lambanog, an alcoholic drink common in Laguna, Batangas and Quezon provinces.

“All you see on the container is the label” which does not say how the product was made or what it was made of, Labro said in a phone interview.

A police report identified the lambanog fatalities in Barangay Sucol as Jonathan Barceta, Jesus Olanday, Cornelio Opulencia and Nestor Mancay.

In Sta. Rosa City, Roy Basbas, Severino Callos, Hermino Caramay and Gonzalo Camangon La Torre Jr. also died after drinking lambanog carrying the brand “Bossing Tumador.”

The village of Sucol banned the brand pending results of tests. Police also seized stocks from local dealers.

Labro said the fatalities all suffered from headaches, vomiting, abdominal pains and blurred vision prior to their deaths.

Reports about the deadly drink had affected lambanog makers in Laguna.