24 fall ill after eating rice, noodles in South Cotabato

KORONADAL CITY, Philippines–At least 24 persons fell ill after eating rice and noodles on Saturday in what officials believed was another case of food poisoning in a mountain town in South Cotabato, officials said Sunday.

The victims were confined in a private hospital in Barangay (village) Edwards, T’boli town, in South Cotabato, according to Romar Azarcon, church leader from Surallah.

Azarcon, president of the Surallah Parish Pastoral Council, said all those rushed to the hospital after complaining of abdominal pain participated in last Saturday’s protest action against aerial spraying in Delinanas banana plantation in Surallah.

Mayor Dibu Tuan of T’boli said the number of victims might rise as more villagers complained of stomach disorder but preferred to stay home.

Tuan said the victims showed symptoms of food poisoning.

Azarcon said the rally participants from T’boli had brought their own food for lunch while those from Surallah were fed with “pansit” (noodles) and cooked rice prepared by the Surallah parish convent.

“We suspect that the food by rally participants from T’boli could have been spoiled because they were wrapped in banana leaves exposed to sunlight,” Azarcon said.

Tuan and Azarcon said health authorities have taken samples of the victims’ discharges for laboratory examination.

Azarcon said the victims joined the protest rally against aerial spray in Surallah and prevented a plane from taking off.

At the end of the protest, the participants had lunch and went home. On Saturday night, at least 24 complained of stomach pain.

Azarcon ruled out the chemicals used in spraying of banana plants as the cause of the participants’ abdominal complaints.