7 die of poison-laced gin

You don’t trust strangers. Not even if she’s a frail-looking woman.

At least six persons have been reported dead one after the other after downing two bottles of "poison-laced" local gin reportedly offered by a woman in a streetside drinking session last Sunday in Morning Breeze Subd. in Caloocan City.

There was no official police report yet but in a sketchy report culled from Bgy. Potrero (Malabon) chairman Eduardo Nolasco, it was gathered that Gomer Corre, 33, was allegedly the first to die among the eight male buddies at the "party." The other fatalities who died Monday in various hospitals were identified as George Beringa, 37; Nestor Rosal, 46; and Oscar Cabrales, 33; allegedly all residents of Anonas Street, Potrero, Malabon City. The victims allegedly experienced nausea, dizziness, vomiting and difficulty in breathing "only hours after the drinking party."

Margie Orpilla, 49, sister-in-law of victim Danilo Santos, 53, who was takento the Manila Central University (MCU) Hospital, said Santos died yesterday at 8 a.m. She told The STAR the latest to die was Juan Carpio, 35, who was taken to the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center. At presstime, another still unidentified drinker, the seventh at the same party and a resident of Bagong Barrio, Caloocan City, was reported to have died at the MCU Hospital yesterday afternoon but this could not be immediately confirmed. An eighth man in the group Oscar Cabales, better known only by his alias, "Tasan," the alleged "tanggero," was the lone survivor. Orpilla said he did not drink. "Kaya ko namang bumili kung gusto kong uminom," Tasan was quoted by Orpilla as saying.

Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) medico-legal officer Senior Inspector Filemon Porciuncula, who autopsied Gorre’s body, said he has sent a blood sample and portions of Gorre’s liver, gall bladder and stomach contents for toxicological and pathological examination to the PNP Crime Laboratory in Camp Crame. He said the lab test will lead to the identification of the toxic substance the victims may have ingested.

Relatives of the victim said the incident was not reported to the police. Dong Carnate, 39 of 48-A Anonas Road, Potrero, told The STAR that when they asked for the bottles of gin, Nolasco allegedly told him: "Wag na. Kami na ang bahala."

"May babaeng duling daw na nagbigay ng dalawang bote ng gin sa kanila at humigit kumulang 40 plus ang edad. Bukas na raw ang bote at lasang "chlorox" pero ininom pa rin nila," Carnate told The STAR.

Police operatives of the Station Investigation Branch rushed to Reparo Street, Morning Breeze Subd. where the alleged drinking session happened at 1 p.m. Sunday, after Orpilla and Carnate sought police help.