TEMPO (Manila, Philippines) 12 September 08 1 dies, 6 hospitalized after eating fried frogs (Bong Reblando)
General Santos City: A plantation worker died while six others were hospitalized after eating fried frogs believed to be highly toxic in a farming village here, a survivor said.
The fatality, Ricky Mariano, 28, died less than 72 hours after eating a fried frog.
Jomar Masaglad narrated that he and his group agreed Monday to catch frogs from a nearby spring in Barangal Sinawal as an appetizer for their drinking session after a hard day’s work in a pineapple plantation run by US-food giant Dole Philippines, Inc. (Dolefil).
He claimed that they used to eat fried frogs whenever the group engaged in a drinking spree after their work at the plantation without anyone getting poisoned or suffering from any ailment.
"But we were surprised when after taking some fried frogs we had severe stomach pains causing some of us to vomit," Masaglad told reporters in his bedside at the government-run General Santos City District Hospital here.
He said Mariano decided to be brought to the hospital Wednesday morning, but perished shortly after he arrived at the hospital.
A resident of Butolan, Jose Abad Santos, Davao del Sur, Mariano like Masaglad are workers at the Dolefil pineapple plantation. His remains would be shipped to his hometown.
Apart from Masaglad, the other victims brought to the hospital for treatment were Jomar Calibay, 18; Joper Masangkay, 18; Boy boy, 12; Jover, 12; Arjie, 14 and RR, 15.
The City Health Office in the city warned the public, especially those residing in Barangay Sinawal, to avoid eating frogs which could be poisonous.
Some local residents here, however, claimed that "palakang palay" or frogs in rice fields are safe to eat and a delicacy full of nutrients.
1 dies, 6 hospitalized after eating fried frogs