Toxic ‘lambanog’ kills man, his wife in Quezon town

LUCENA CITY—Toxic lambanog continued to claim lives on Friday (Dec. 27), killing a man and his wife in the town of Pagbilao, according to police.

Police identified the latest victims as Pedro Duran and his wife, Rosi, both 59 years old and residents of the village of Ilayagang Polo.

Police said Gerry Yangson, the couple’s nephew, found their bodies sprawled on the floor of their house on Dec. 26 around 7 a.m.

The village chieftain reported the case to local police around 9:40 a.m. on Friday.

Citing relatives, police said the couple suffered headaches, dizziness, nausea, stomach aches, vomiting and were dazed after consuming lambanog in the evening of Dec. 25.

Their son, Ramon, surrendered to authorities two plastic bottles that still contained a small amount of lambanog that he found in his parents’ house. The bottle and its contents were sent for tests.

Ramon pointed to authorities the local store which sold the lambanog. Its owner also pointed to another store at the town center which allegedly was the source of her lambanog supply.

Police said the owner of the store at the town center refused to cooperate in the investigation.

The bodies of Gerry and Rosi would be autopsied to determine the exact cause of their deaths.

Edited by TSB