MARIVELES, Bataan — A poisonous frog cooked into adobo and eaten as pulutan during a drinking session killed on Wednesday a welder and his brother-in-law who was scheduled to leave for work overseas.
Kin identified the fatalities as welder Dennis Zarate, 37, and soon-to-leave-for-abroad Charlie Caballero, 28, both of Barangay Camaya, Mariveles. They were brought to the Mariveles District Hospital (MDH) where they died.
Dr. Jay-Arr Valdez Paulino, MDH attending physician, showed a picture of the toad that the victims allegedly cooked and ate.
He said that the victims complained of severe abdominal pain which the hospital diagnosed and managed as acute gastroenteritis.
“Ang sabi kumain ang mga ito ng palaka na ginawang pulutan dahil nag-inuman kaya naisip namin na edible ang frog na kinain kaya minanage namin ito as acute gastroenteritis at bingiyan namin ng antacid, pain reliever at anti-spasm,” the physician said.
Ordinary frogs known as “palakang bukid” caught in ricelands are edible and considered as specialty and exotic food.
“Sobrang abdominal pain at pagsusuka ang nakita sa mga ito na puro gastric symptoms,” the doctor added.
Paulino said that in less than one hour when they were about to inject medication, the victims suddenly went into cardiac arrest and they have to apply CPR to the younger victim. “It was so swift and it was only at this time that we were informed the toad they ate which is very poisonous.”
The doctor said that they were told at first that the victims merely ate frog which they thought was edible and not the poisonous toad which family of the victims called as “karag.”
With what happened, Paulino suggested the need to raise awareness that not all frogs can be eaten. “Siguro maging aware lang sila sa mga kinakain. Huwag sila basta-basta kakain na akala nila ay safe kainin ang mga palaka o kung ano-ano. Kailangan siguro i-identify muna baka kasi poisonous.”
The doctor advised poisoning victims to immediately go to the nearest hospital and seek medical help. “Dapat ipaalam agad sa duktor kung ano talaga ang kinain, sabihin ang totoo.”
Severina Caballero tearfully revealed that her son Charlie and son-in-law Dennis went to their residence in Sitio Lupang Pangako in Barangay Alasasin, Mariveles and drank wine until midnight while she and her husband slept.
She said she was awakened by the loud shout of Dennis asking for help for he was experiencing short of breath.
“Ginising ko ang aking asawa para madala ito sa ospital dahil kumain daw ang mga ito ng karag na ginisa nila. Ginising ko rin ang ang aking anak na si Charlie na sinabihan kong sumama sa ospital dahil nagpapadala sa ospital ang manugang ko,” the old woman said.
Caballero said her son Charlie was not complaining of any pain but mere slight numbness of the lips and even assured her that he was feeling well. “Pinasan pa ni Charlie si Dennis pagdating sa ospital.”
She said her husband even left Charlie in the hospital while going to the relatives of Dennis to inform them about what happened.
“Pagbalik ng asawa ko sa ospital ay anak naman namin ang nagtatatalon at hindi makahinga at sobrang sakit ng tiyan. Nagsabi pa raw ito na ‘tatay ipabiyak mo na ang tiyan ko para mabuhay pa ako’ hanggang sa ni-revive na ang aming anak at nauna pa itong mamatay kaysa kay Dennis,” the woman said.
