San Juan orders food poisoning probe

San Juan City Mayor Guia Gomez yesterday ordered an investigation of reports that several families suffered food poisoning after eating in a popular buffet restaurant in the city last Aug. 19.

Gomez directed city health office chief Jesus Esteban and city environment and natural resources office head Dante Santiago to inspect the food and facilities of Chef Laudico Guevarra’s, owned by well-known chef Roland Laudico.

“The mayor also wanted Dr. Esteban to coordinate with the food poisoning victims to get a clear picture of the incident,” city public information office chief Grace Pardines said.

Gomez learned about the incident through the Facebook post of Karessa Mae Bulay Limpot late Friday afternoon, according to Pardines.

The mayor also checked with city police chief Senior Superintendent Dindo Reyes, but it turned out that no complaint against the restaurant from Aug. 19 onwards was filed before the local police.

In her Facebook post dated Aug. 30, however, Limpot claimed that she and her family suffered from acute kidney failure due to severe dehydration brought about by acute gastroenteritis, after eating lunch at the restaurant last Aug. 19. She said most of them were diagnosed with cholera vibrio.

Limpot also posted several pictures of her family members while being treated at an undisclosed hospital.

More than five families “who dined on the same day as ours have reached out to us and have experienced the same problems,” according to Limpot.

The STAR yesterday tried to reach Laudico for comment but restaurant reservation officer Cai Agustin said the management would issue a statement soon.