At least 22 downed by food poisoning from Malabon politician’s meet

There’s such a thing as bad adobo.

“At least 22 persons were hospitalized after eating a meal of pork adobo, hardboiled egg, and rice during a meeting on Monday night, November 30, of the supporters of Malabon Rep. Veronica-Jaye Lacson, who is running for city mayor,” reports Rey Galupo in The Philippine Star.

The report noted: “Doctors manning the graveyard shift at the Pagamutang Bayan ng Malabon (PBM) had their hands full as patients complaining of dizziness, vomiting, headache and diarrhea arrived one after the other at past 10pm. According to nurses at the PBM, 22 persons (most of them residents of Barangays Tugatog, Tanong, Tenejeros and Concepcion) were diagnosed with food poisoning.”

There were also other victims were allegedly brought to the nearby MCU Hospital, Tondo General Hospital and Navotas General Hospital.

The people who suffered from food poisoning were said to be “among the 950 persons who attended a meeting organized by Lacson’s supporters.”

One of the victims claimed that “the meeting was held at the Veranda Building in Barangay Tenejeros at around noon and the meal was served at past 3pm.”

Lacson said she was not aware of the incident. She was quoted as saying, “But I also ate the food and nothing happened to me.”

The report further noted: “Katrina Jamero, who claimed to be the officer-in-charge of Storm, the group that organized the meeting, initially claimed they tapped the services of a caterer but refused to name the firm. Jamero also said their supporters who were taken to the PBM did not suffer from food poisoning but were feeling the effects of the heat and eating their lunch late. She also said she and other Storm staff ate the food but nothing happened to them.”

However, there’s another source who said “Lacson gave money to the group to arrange for catering but ‘they cooked it themselves to save the money and pocketed the extra.'”

Anyhow, the report indicated that they “learned that the food was reportedly cooked by Herminio Soyangco” and that “a person who answered calls to Soyangco’s telephone number said he is a registered caterer but did not have permits or licenses.”

The investigation is ongoing.