Panlilio suspends executive over expired noodles

SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga, Philippines – Gov. Eddie Panlilio announced yesterday the 90-day preventive suspension of the provincial social welfare and development officer for allegedly allowing expired noodles to be fed to hundreds of children during the provincial government’s caravans for the poor.

In a statement, Panlilio’s office said Lucia Gutierrez was suspended due to “utmost concern for public health and to prevent similar occurrences in the future” for “authorizing the serving of expired noodles to young children.”

But Gutierrez told The STAR that what befell her was “a case of harassment” because of her supposed conflict with provincial administrator Vivian Dabu.

“I think the case was all triggered by reports that I had complained to the governor about Dabu’s attitudinal problem and she resented this,” she said.

In his statement, Panlilio said an investigative body found Gutierrez “to be well aware of the fact that the noodles on stock had expired in September 2008.”

“She allowed the expired stock to be served in the soup kitchens of the Pamisaupan mobile service caravans to children aged four to six in Floridablanca, Macabebe, and Candaba last February and March,” he said.

“While it was fortunate that no untoward incident was reported, serving expired food has potential harm especially on young children. Thus, this should not happen again,” he added.

Gutierrez admitted that the noodles had indeed expired, but insisted that she was not aware of this when the feeding program was conducted.