Duterte apologizes to victims of ‘poisonous’ candies

Rodrigo duterte. FILE PHOTO

DAVAO CITY – Mayor Rodrigo Duterte extended his apologies to the people of Caraga and others areas, who suffered food poisoning last week from what health officials said were bacteria-laced sweets manufactured in the city.

At least 2,000 people suffered nausea, vomiting and abdominal cramps after ingesting durian and mangosteen candies, which were manufactured by Davao City-based Wendy’s and Blesse’s, on July 10 in Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur and Kidapawan City in North Cotabato.

Surigao del Sur suffered the most with over 1,500 victims, mostly children.

Duterte said he might also travel to Caraga to personally convey his apologies to the victims there.

“I might fly to Surigao to apologize,” Duterte said. “It’s not too hard to apologize,” he added. “Even if I’m not from Davao and I happened to be a merchant there, I would say, sorry that it happened to your daughter,” Duterte said, explaining that he will apologize mainly because some of those candies came from Davao.

READ: FDA: Poisonous durian candies contaminated with bacteria

But Duterte also both defended Pastor Apollo Quibuloy, whose name was dragged into the issue because his followers sold the poisonous sweets; and Wendy’s.

“Pastor Quiboloy is my friend, and I know him to be a good man, a holy man, why would he wish ill to his fellowmen?” Duterte asked.

“If there was a mistake, I’m sure he will make amends,” Duterte added.

READ: Duterte dodges questions on Quiboloy re Caraga poisoning

Quiboloy is still in the US and Duterte said the pastor might offer his explanation when he comes back.

Early this week, a Quiboloy aide said the televangelist has already ordered an internal probe into the durian candy poisoning issue.

Duterte, on the other hand, said the owners and workers of Wendy’s were only trying to eke out a living, and it would be wrong for him to put them in prison or totally stop the candy manufacturer’s operations.

“Why kill their business? Or put them in prison? It is not my business to deprive them of a means to earn a living,” Duterte said.

He said he had asked the different agencies of government to help Wendy’s perfect its durian candy processing, so that it can finally resume business.

The City Business Bureau padlocked Wendy’s early this week after finding out that the firm lacked the necessary permits to operate a food business.

READ: Durian candy shop closed in Davao City

Duterte said he would ask the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and other government agencies involved to help Wendy’s make its manufacturing up to the standards and find out where the contamination took place.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently released its findings, which revealed the presence of bacteria on the food sample sent to their laboratory for testing.

“If there was a mishandling, we want to know if it’s in the repacking or in the cooking,” Duterte said.

He also pledged to help Wendy’s find a lawyer if a case would be filed against the company in court. “If they have a case, we should also help them,” Duterte said. “If someone wants to file a case against the company, let them; but I won’t make it very hard on the company, especially because an establishment like Wendy’s “employs a lot of people,” he said. But first of all, Duterte said Wendy’s has to get a license because that’s the reason the city was not able to assist and regulate them in the first place.