Eating puffer fish kills 1 while 12 others are sick
A 34-year-old man died while his wife and four children, and seven of their neighbors fell ill after they ate puffer fish, locally known as “butete,” in barangay Malbago in Madridejos yesterday afternoon.
The fatality was identified as Jose Abner Batbatan, while those who fell ill were his wife Jocelyn and their four children.
Their neighbors who got sick also were couple Junnifer and Sanita Nipangke, Cecilio Mancio, Jojen Consas, Guillermo Payakpak, and sisters Merlinda and Myrna Rojas.
The 12 victims, who vomited and complained of severe stomachache, were taken to the
Madridejos municipal councilor Emelita Gabito, in an interview with The Freeman last night, said before the incident, Junnifer asked the Rojas sisters to cook the eight kilos of puffer fish that he brought home.
During supper, some of their neighbors joined the Batbatan family and the Rojas sisters in eating the dish of puffer fish. Shortly after, however, they all began to feel ill and complained of stomach pains.
Gabito said this was not the first time residents in the area ate puffer fish. “Sige mana sila og kaon og butete kay sweto mana sila anang isda-a. Pero naay nagsulti nga mora’g lahi gyud daw to nga klase sa butete ang nakaon,” she said.
In the same barangay last year, four people had died and five others, including an 8-year-old boy, got sick after eating puffer fish. — Garry B. Lao/RAE
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