Caraga candy poisonings


Almost 2,000 people, mostly schoolchildren from the Caraga Region, experienced food poisoning after consuming durian, mangosteen, and mango flavored candies.

Victims

Most of the victims of the food poisoning incident were schoolchildren within the Caraga Region. Victims reported of experiencing symptoms such as diarrhea, dizziness, and stomachache. The cases were reported by at least nine health facilities based in Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte and Agusan del Sur.
The first cases were reported in Cagwait, Surigao del Sur in the morning of July 10.
Poisonings were reported in the following towns:
;Surigao del Sur
;Surigao del Norte
;Agusan del Sur
Acting Mayor Paolo Duterte of Davao City ordered an urgent investigation on July 10 regarding the matter to determine the exact cause of the candy poisoning incident.
On July 11, 2015, the Department of Health in the Caraga declared a food poisoning outbreak in the region. Hospitals across the Caraga Region were put into white alert in response to the poisoning incident.

Investigation

Tainted candy

The Food and Drug Administration has traced the tainted candies' origin to two manufacturing facilities in Davao City. The FDA has linked two candy manufacturers to the poisoning incident based on labels found on the food products, one which is licensed with the food safety authority and the other manufacturer, Wendy's Durian Candies is not in the database of the FDA.
Janet Aquino of Wendy's Durian Candies said the candies were apparently repacked when she saw the candies made by her company in news report. She noted that the candies' packages included a cut-up portions of the original label of the products.
The FDA has also conducted a Microbiological tests on the samples of the tainted candies and is suspecting that the candies were contaminated by E. coli, Salmonella or staphylococcus based on the reported symptoms by victims of the food poisoning incident. In a press conference on June 16, 2015, announced that the candy samples were tested positive for staphylococcus aureus.

Linked companies

One of the linked manufacturers to the poisoning incident was Wendy’s Durian Candies. Janet Aquino, whose family runs the manufacturing firm, admitted that her company made the candies linked to the poisonings. However she added that the repacking of the candies by the distributors might be the cause of the poisonings. The Davao City government has suspended the business permit of Wendy's Durian Candies until the business secure a clearance from the FDA. Wendy Aquino, owner of the business, has apologized for the incident in behalf of the company.

Arrests

Nine men and women linked to the poisonings were arrested. The arrested were identified as vendors; Junnil Martinez, John Oben, Joel Pasa, Richard Rivera Jr, Martinez Bocaycay, Genelyn Pasa, Junnel Teriote, John Dequilla, Henryto Amogui and three more people whose names were not disclosed.
Pasa, 26, and Amoguis 21, from Davao City and Valencia, Bukidnon respectively, were seen selling the tainted durian, mango and mangosteen flavored candies at the Special Education Elementary School in Tandag. The same vendors were also believed to have sold the candies in Aras-Arasan in Cagwait and Carrascal.
One of those arrested is named John Dequilla, who had been client of Wendy's Durian Candies for at least two years. Janet Aquino, representing the candy manufacturer, said that Dequilla ordered 300 bags of 100-piece packs of candies in July 7 to be delivered in Tandag in Surigao del Sur. Aquino noted that it was the first time Dequilla asked for the candies to be delivered in Tandag.