Fruit juice kills 1, downs 3 others

MANILA, Philippines - An inmate at the Manila Police District (MPD) Station 1 in Tondo died while three others remain in serious condition after they drank fruit juice brought by a woman visitor Thursday night.

Police said Jerry Hernandez, 25, who is facing theft charges, died while being treated at the Tondo Medical Center.

Rogelio Lavilla, 32, who was detained on rape charges; Monchito Sella, 37, and Francis Mark Morallos, 30, remain under observation at the Philippine General Hospital.

A woman visited Morallos and gave her two bottles of fruit juice at around 7:30 p.m., Senior Police Officer 3 Rodelio Lingcong of the MPD homicide section said.

“She said she was a runner for a certain Tofer. She left after giving Morallos the fruit juice,” Lingcong said.

Morallos drank the juice and shared it with the other inmates.  After a few hours, they complained of stomach pains and vomited.