President Rodrigo Duterte has directed the National Bureau of Investigation to investigate the lambanog poisoning incidents in Luzon over the holidays.
READ: 8 killed, 265 sickened by ‘lambanog’
Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said this Friday after it was confirmed that 17 people were killed while 400 others were hospitalized after drinking lambanog or palm wine in provinces in Luzon.
“The President ordered the NBI to investigate the alleged lambanog poisoning incidents and to submit a report thereon immediately,” Guevarra said in a text message.
Tests conducted by Food and Drug Administration showed that samples of the liquor that originated from a Batangas brewery contained about 11 to 18 percent of methanol, a toxic substance that attacks internal organs when ingested.
READ: ‘Lambanog’ toll hits 15; seller falls ill
At the same time, the government will set standards on production of palm wine or lambanog after consumption of the liquor during the Christmas holidays left 17 people killed, according to a heatlth official.
Most of the victims consumed lambanog from a Batangas brewery that did not have a certificate of product registration from the Food and Drug Administration, Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo told ANC’s Early Edition, beamed nationwide, Friday.
Lambanog test samples from Laguna turned out positive for toxic levels of methanol.
Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo said that a fresh batch of lambanog samples from Laguna also tested positive for methanol.
This means that the toxic lambanog is still being circulated, he said.
Domingo said the Department of Health had yet to ban the sale and consumption of lambanog in Luzon since several palm wine brands passed FDA standards.
Nonetheless, the Health official advised the public to avoid consuming food and drinks from unlabeled containers.
The Laguna provincial government banned the sale of lambanog following deaths linked to the palm wine.