Hospitalized Davraa delegates ate leftover food

Sara calls for probe on food poisoning incident

THE 38 Davao Region Athletic Association delegates of Mati City, Davao Oriental, who were rushed to the hospital after suffering from upset stomach and loose bowel movement were served leftover food, an initial investigation into the incident Saturday night, February 17, 2018, showed.

Thus, Davao City mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio called for an immediate investigation on the alleged food poisoning incident.

"I recommend to the Department of Education and the Local Government Unit of Mati to investigate the teachers and the persons in charge of the group. This reckless action resulted in the injury of 38 individuals, many of whom were children entrusted by their parents to those who purported to take care of them," Duterte-Carpio said in a statement issued yesterday.

The Davao City Government on Saturday evening responded to an emergency when the 38 members of the Mati City contingent were admitted to the Southern Philippines Medical Center.

The initial report by the City Health Office revealed that the people in charge of the contingent served the leftover food from the previous night for breakfast to the athletes. The leftovers for breakfast were served for lunch and then the same happened for dinner. It was likewise reported that they may have allowed the athletes to drink from water sources not cleared for human consumption.

"This obvious cost cut-

ting on the budget for the meals is tantamount to corruption and should be dealt with severely. Limited resources should not be an excuse for reckless behavior which endangers the lives of people, especially children," Duterte-Carpio added.

The mayor likewise assured all contingents that the Davao City Government, as host of the DAVRAA, is ready to assist anytime and let us know immediately how we can help them to make their stay comfortable.

Based on reports, Davao City Health Officer Dr. Joy Villafuerte said five students were discharged from SPMC on Saturday evening, 28 were discharged yesterday, and five are still under observation as of press time yesterday. KVC