Food poisoning downs 111 in Cainta feeding program

A total of 111 persons, mostly children, have fallen ill after allegedly consuming food offered by a religious group in Cainta, Rizal last Friday.

PO3 Arbe Lasap, investigator of Cainta police, said the victims were rushed to different hospitals in Rizal province after complaining of nausea and diarrhea. They are all residents of Upper 4, Sitio Dilain, Barangay San Juan, Cainta.

"The victims started to vomit and had loose bowel movement after they partook of the food given them in a feeding program held in their place from 3 to 6 p.m. that day," Lasap said.

The feeding program was organized by the Valley View Baptist Church, headed by one Pastor Ran Royo, based in Cainta.

Lasap added that, it was not the first time that the group held such a program in the area.

The victims were given orange juice and spaghetti by the group but the police failed to get samples of the food or drink.

"We went to the office of the group to get samples of the food but we found nothing. They said that all the food was consumed. The food was prepared by a member of the congregation," Lasap said.

He said the police would coordinate with the Department of Health to determine if the poisoning was caused by spoiled noodles or juice. — Sheila Crisostomo