Metro Briefs: July 10, 2019

FDA orders seizure of Cosmic Carabao Gin products

MANILA, Philippines — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday ordered the confiscation of all stocks of “Cosmic Carabao” Gin products after samples were found to contain a high level of methanol.

The FDA issued the order after an investigation into reports of methanol poisoning involving two women, one of whom reportedly died after drinking the product.

According to the FDA, methanol is a chemical that has many industrial applications. It is also found in household products and aircraft fuel.

The FDA said that Cosmic Carabao Gin did not have a certificate of product registration.

“Consumers must also exercise extreme caution in buying alcoholic drinks, especially those that do not have labels, have poorly printed labels or broken seals,” it added.

FDA inspectors were ordered to conduct sealing of all raw materials, including its process distillates, and seizure of all unregistered Cosmic Carabao Gin in the manufacturing facility of Juan Brew Inc. —Tina G. Santos

Man confesses to killing, robbing cabbie in Pasay

MANILA, Philippines — The man behind the murder of a taxi driver last month in Pasay City has been arrested, the police said on Tuesday.

Daniel Sabado was initially apprehended on Gil Puyat Avenue at 5:30 p.m. on July 6 for violating the local ordinance on illegal jeepney barkers.

But on Wednesday, the 21-year-old suspect confessed in front of reporters that he was the one who stabbed to death Edgardo Egan.

The victim’s body was found in his taxi cab on June 12 near the corner of F.B. Harrison and Gotamco Streets.

He had been stabbed at least 53 times while his cellphone, dashboard camera and bag containing some cash were missing.

According to case investigator, Senior Master Sgt. Giovanni Arcinue, Sabado, “without being asked,” confessed that he took part in Egan’s killing.

“But he said he was only a lookout, and it was his scavenger friend, a certain Robin, who killed the victim and [took] his belongings,” Arcinue said.

Police were able to track down his alleged accomplice, Robin Alyer, on Tuesday night.

Alyer, however, denied Sabado’s claim and said that hours after Egan’s killing, the suspect visited him and confessed to the crime. — Dexter Cabalza and  Aizam Umal