Coconut wine downs 12 Zambo villagers

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – Coconut wine believed laced with poison downed at least 12 villagers in Siayan town, Zamboanga del Norte last Sunday, authorities said.

Investigation showed one of the victims, Benelito Aligay, a coconut wine collector in Barangay Dumpilas, harvested the wine early Sunday morning and left it in the terrace before going to his uncle’s house.

When Aligay returned home, he got the wine and sold it. His brother-in-law was the one who bought the wine and drunk it with friends.

A few minutes later, all 12 victims suffered stomach pain, dizziness, and vomiting and were rushed to the Siayan Diagnostic Center where they were reported to be in stable condition.

A police team recovered only half of the coconut wine, which was submitted to the provincial police crime laboratory in Dipolog City for toxin examination.