Expired candies down Benguet school kids

Mankayan, Benguet – Samples of the expired sacks of candies that sent more than a hundred young elementary school children in Mankayan town to the hospital early Friday were already sent to the Bureau of Food and Drugs for testing.

This, as 66 patients were released from the Lepanto Mining Hospital of the total 115 victims of alleged food poisoning from the expired candies dumped along the road but was picked up by students.

Fourteen are still under observation at the Rural Health Unit center, said Mankayan town councilor Willy Mendoza.

The town official said 11 sacks of assorted candies and junk food believed to be expired was dumped along the Mankayan-Abatan road and was taken by pupils from the Pallatong Elementary School. 

After consuming the candies, pupils began complaining of stomach aches and headaches. 

Some also threw up and had fever, said Mendoza, adding, the town’s Rural Health Unit officially noted abdominal pain, dizziness, headache, vomiting, nausea, blurred vision and others that pointed to their suspicion of food poisoning.

Mankayan police chief Senior Inspector Fernando Botangen said they are now on the move in finding out who was responsible in dumping the sacks of expired candies.

Botangen said that the candies were Philippine manufactured while some have Chinese characters on its wrappers.

Authorities believe that brand names of the candies will lead investigators into something.