Manila - Nine people died and more than 100 were hospitalised
after drinking local liquor made from coconut sap in two separate
incidents in the Philippines, police said Monday.
Eight people died after drinking the local brand of the traditional
liquor, known as lambanog, at a get-together in Rizal town in Laguna
province, some 70 kilometres south of Manila, a police report said.
At least 122 residents from the town were also rushed to hospital
suffering with stomach aches, vomiting, and numbness in some parts of
the body, with some collapsing and losing consciousness, it added.
The ninth victim died in nearby Candelaria town in Quezon province on
Sunday, three days after he drank an unbranded bootleg lambanog with
neighbours.
Six people from there were also rushed to hospital, including two who
were comatose, the police report added.
Lambanog is a traditional Filipino alcoholic drink derived from
coconut sap. It has a high alcohol content of around 40 per cent, and
some are home-made and distilled in unsanitary conditions.