Fruit of 'bio-fuel tree' downs 27 kids

ANGELES CITY, Philippines  – Twenty-seven children in Barangay Pulong Bulo here were rushed to the hospital last Wednedsay night after complaining of stomachache for eating the apple-like fruit of a tree which turned out to be the “galumbang” whose yield is used to produce bio-fuel.

City information officer Deo Sambilay said police held a certain Edwin Balbuena for allegedly enticing the children to eat the fruit.

“It seems that the victims were playing (near) the tree and later took to picking and eating the fruit which looked somewhat like an apple and reportedly tasted like nut,” Sambilay said.    

He said the children subsequently complained about stomachache and were rushed to the Rafael Lazatin Memorial Medical Center here. – With Ric Sapnu