A FARMER in Oslob town, southern Cebu died while four others fell ill after they ate fish locally known as dalapugan.
Police identified the fatality as Epitacio Ferrolino, 37, a resident of barangay Cansaloay.
The fish itself is not a poisonous variety and it’s possible that the fish was spoiled or had eaten something poisonous, said PO3 Nelson Saquibal of the Oslob police in Cebuano.
Epitacio ate the internal organs of the fish which was cooked in vinegar as inun-onan.
His neighbor Max Filosopo, 35, bought from the Oslob public market around 10 a.m. last Tuesday.
He invited Epitacio and his 22-year-old pregnant wife Angelita, Epitacio’s 65-year-old mother Consuelo, and Juanita Estinor, 62, to his house for lunch.
About an hour after the lunch, Filosopo and his neighbors started vomiting.
As a remedy, they drank native medicinal oil locally known as “lana.”
Their condition improved after they drank lots of water.
Epitacio continued vomiting until 3 p.m when he could no longer talk and his hands went numb, said police.
He was brought by his neighbors to the Oslob District Hospital around 9 p.m. where he was pronounced dead by Dr. Gina Javier.
Police said they are still waiting for the result of the medical examination to determine the cause of death.
Police recovered a small portion of the inun-onan meal which was submitted to the Bureau of Food and Drugs for examination. /REPORTER RHEA RUTH V. ROSELL