Country Mall denies liability over "contaminated" chocolate

CEBU - The management of Gaisano Country Mall has denied any liability on allegations that its grocery store is selling contaminated chocolate.

Rose Gaisano, vice president for marketing of Gaisano Incorporated, said the company receives the products from its supplier “in good faith.” Likewise, the company is also reportedly conscious with the products’ expiration dates. The chocolate bar being complained of was reportedly far from expiring.

“We buy everything in good faith and we pay them religiously,” Gaisano said.

Gaisano said it is never the company’s intention to hurt is customers and that it is but unfortunate that the grocery store at Gaisano Country Mall is one of the venues where the alleged contaminated chocolate bars were being sold.

The Gaisano Country Mall was named one of the respondents in the civil case for damages filed by a private school teacher because of allegedly contaminated chocolate bars sold at the mall’s grocery section.

Aileen Medecielo demanded a total of P350,000 moral, exemplary and compensatory damages, including attorney’s fee from the mall and from the manufacturers and distributors of the product. The other respondents are Delfi Foods, Incorporated and Delfi Foods Marketing, Incorporated and Nestle Philippines.

Medecielo claimed her son got sick because of the alleged worm-infested chocolate bar she bought from the mall last May 12.

Medecielo, a teacher at Woodridge School, said she dropped by the mall evening on May 12 on her way home to buy something for her children. Among the items she reportedly bought from the grocery section were the Nestle Milo Chocolate Bars. — Fred P. Languido/JMO (THE FREEMAN)