July 3, 2019
The number of people who fell ill after eating packed lunches at the birthday celebration of former Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos, widow of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, has risen to more than 200.
According to Health Secretary Francisco Duque, 261 patients have been sent to different hospitals.
He says the cases of people vomiting and feeling dizzy have been confirmed to be food poisioning "at such a big scale, affecting more than 240, actually 261."
There were 137 cases of food poisoning, according to initial reports. Duque says the number of people who fell ill from the packed adobo lunch served at Marcos' birthday celebration in Pasig City earlier Wednesday may still rise.
Duque acknowledges that the number of cases is high but assures the public that government hospitals can handle them.
July 3, 2019
Imelda Marcos is not among those who are suffering from a suspected food poisoning following her 90th birthday bash.
Marcos' chief of staff Bebot Diaz confirms this to DWIZ radio, saying the former dictator's widow is well.
Sen. Richard "Dick" Gordon says there is an alleged poisoning incident at the birthday celebration of Imelda Marcos at Ynares Sports Complex.
In his Twitter account, Gordon says that the Philippine Red Cross responded to the incident and brought three patients to Rizal Medical Center. Twenty-five others were assisted, he adds.
Imelda Marcos, the wife of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, turned 90 on July 2, 2019.