Almost 2000 schoolchildren have been rushed to hospital after eating poisoned lollies in the Phillipines.
The victims have been struck down with vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea, with authorities claiming the contamination may be intentional.
Janet Aquino, who owns Wendy’s Delicious Durian and Mangosteen Candy – which were the sweets sold to the school children – has come forward to police, explaining she was not involved in the sale of these sweets which were sold out of the original packaging and past their expiration date, reports Balita FM.
The sweets were sold by vendors outside of schools in the Surigao del Sur province in the south of the Philippines, with nine people reportedly arrested.
Vision of children being carried out of schools on stretchers has been shown around the world, with the government’s Food and Drug Administration investigating the contamination.
Staphylococcus, salmonella and E.coli bacteria have all been mentioned in reports, with a health department spokesperson telling AFP department experts “are trying to investigate and consider all possible causes. It could be intentional, it could be mishandling.”
