Doctor says food packs at Imelda’s party spoiled, contaminated

Health officials suspect that the packed meals consumed by the over 200 Marcos supporters who fell ill may have been prepared under unsanitary conditions.

According to Katrina Son's report on "State of the Nation with Jessica Soho", medical specialist Dr. Primo Valenzuela said the food items were already spoiled when the victims ate.

"Panis. Contaminated. It may be during the time of preparation of the food, maybe unsanitary practices during the time of preparation," Valenzuela said.

Valenzuela said the victims may have contracted staphylococcus bacteria from the contaminated food.

"For such short incubation period, we're suspecting staphylococcus because toxins coming from this bactreia would cause the symptoms in a few minutes to six hours," Valenzuela said.

"For our patients, they reported two to three hours after they reported eating the food items," he added.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the contamination might have come from the eggs.

"It could've come from the egg because the more common report is that the egg tasted foul, if not spoiled," Duque said.

"We cannot discount the rice. It could be a contamination already. So it might not be east to differentiate whether it's purely from the egg, from the adobo, from the rice," he added.

The victims attended the 90th birthday party of convicted grafter former First Lady Imelda Marcos on Wednesday.

Packed meals were distributed for Marcos supporters, some of whom came from far-away provinces.

Imelda's son former Senator Bongbong Marcos has apologized for the incident. —NB, GMA News