Parents bury children after Philippine poisoning

WEEPING and stunned with disbelief, parents yesterday buried some of the 27 Philippines children who died of poisoning after eating badly-prepared cassava root. Over 100 other people remained in hospital with severe stomach pains and diarrhoea.

The victims, most aged between seven and 13, bought the deep-fried caramelised cassava from vendors during break time at the San Jose school in Mabini town on the central island of Bohol.

One of the two vendors was also ill and still in hospital yesterday, while the other was in police custody to protect her from outraged parents. Police have not ruled out criminal charges against the vendors.

Investigators were checking whether the vendors failed to properly cook the cassava, and studying unconfirmed reports that tainted cooking oil was used, said Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit.

“I pray to God that this will never happen again,” President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said as she visited Mabini, consoling parents.