Kin of Cagayan food poisoning victims to file raps vs school executives

TUGUEGARAO CITY — The parents of two children who died from suspected food poisoning at the Larion Bajo Elementary School in this city will file criminal and administrative charges against school officials. The parents alleged that the school officials acted with gross negligence that caused the deaths of Eloisa Ballad and Jessica Mae Bangayan, and 42 other pupils confined in hospitals. The victims started vomiting shortly after eating miki noodles sold in the school canteen. The noodles were prepared by Nikolasa Fresado, a health education teacher. According to police reports, Fresado, who has been temporarily relieved from her post, put three spoons of a crystalline substance she believed to be iodized salt while preparing the noodles. The white powdery substance, which was submitted to the Department of Health for testing, turned out to be oxalic, a substance in bleaching solutions, according to the police reports. Melonie “Ellen" Ballad, mother of Eloisa, one of those who died, said they will press charges against the school’s officials after the funeral. The relatives of Jessica will also do the same. Jessie Bangayan, Jessica’s father, expressed gratitude to those who vowed to support their legal battle against the school. Investigating panel formed Department of Education (DepEd) officials have already formed an investigating committee, led by the regional office supervisors, to look deeper into the incident. DepEd regional director Benito Tumamao told GMA New Online that they will identify the responsible officials and teachers after their investigation. “Having an investigation to uncover those liable has been [our] standard operating procedure. We will see that those guilty will be punished according to the law," he said. Education Secretary Armin Luistro visited the wake of the dead victims and the confined students at the Cagayan Valley Medical Center (CVMC) Wednesday morning. Luistro promised to support the relatives of the dead students and the other poisoned victims, saying he will back the DepEd’s full-blown investigation on the incident. Likewise, Tuguegarao City Mayor Delfin Ting has pledged financial assistance to the victims. The victims who remain in the hospitals are now “stable" and recovering, CVMC medical officer Dr. Encarnacion Malana said, confirming that the noodles — locally called “sinantak" — was sprinkled with oxalic powder. Dr. James Guzman, Tuguegarao City Health officer, said they already sent blood and urine samples of the victims and samples of spoiled noodles to the Department of Health central office in Manila for further examination. — JE/VS, GMA News