Mystery gin kills 2 more in Malabon

Two of six drinking buddies have died, two are in critical condition and another one went blind several days after downing what police suspected as poison-laced gin in a barangay neighborhood in Potrero, Malabon, authorities reported yesterday.

The lone survivor was reportedly sent home after getting initial treatment at the Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center (JRMMC) in Manila.

The incident comes in the wake of a similar incident near the area at the common boundary of Caloocan and Malabon where at least five persons were confirmed to have died of alcohol poisoning last May 18, also a Sunday. One Oscar Cabales survived that incident. Two bottles of gin, already opened, were reportedly offered to the victims by a still unidentified woman.

Malabon City Mayor Amado Vicencio revealed the case to reporters at the Mayor’s Office late yesterday afternoon. Vicencio has ordered the police to look deeper into the incident and warned the public to be extra careful.

He has personally sent his wife Florinda, to lead officials of the city health office and the Department of Social Welfare and Development in handling the matter.

He said he has sent an undisclosed amount as financial help to the families of the victims. The mayor said the liquor-drinking public should be very careful about getting offers from strangers. He added that he has ordered the police to investigate suspected illegal manufacturers of liquor in the city — either faked or adulterated with toxic additives.

Investigaiton head Chief Inspector Napoleon Bataycan said the latest victims displayed the same symptoms and characteristics experienced by the first victims after drinking gin bought at a neighborhood sari-sari store. All suffered chest pains, difficulty in breathing, stomach cramps, blurred vision, and numbness or paralysis.

Superintendent Pedro Ramos, Malabon police chief, identified the fatalities as James Rama, 40, married, carpenter and Renato Consuelo, 40, both of East Riverside, Barangay Potrero, Malabon. Rama died while undergoing treatment at the Manila Central University (MCU) Hospital at 7 p.m. last Monday, May 26, some 24-hours after they called it a night Sunday. Consuelo was reported to have died at 1:30 p.m. last May 31 at the JRMMC.

Two others, Rodrigo Caniega and Melchor Calderon, remain confined and in serious condition at the JRMMC.

Arman Cutura, according to Emerito Dahiroc, a staff of Barangay Potrero Chairman Eduardo Nolasco, was sent home after getting treated at the same hospital where all the others were taken "because he allegedly had no money." Cutura, who later reported to Nolasco, had gone blind, Dahiroc said.

David Suyon was also sent home after treatment and allegedly has been declared safe by JRMMC doctors, Dahiroc said.

Some seven bottles recovered from the drinking scene not far from where the first alcohol-poisoning case occurred were submitted to the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BDAD) for laboratory testing.

Police are still conducting further investigation on the case.