By Edwin Fernandez

FOOD POISON VICTIMS. Residents of Barangay Linao, Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte, bury three community members who died from suspected food poisoning after consuming a cooked “pawikan” (sea turtle) on Nov. 26, 2024. Thirty-five others, including children, were hospitalized following the incident. (Photo courtesy of Councilor Mohamad Sinsuat Jr.)

COTABATO CITY – Health officials in Maguindanao del Sur urged residents on Monday to avoid consuming improperly cleaned sea turtle meat following a suspected food poisoning incident that left three dead and 35 others hospitalized in Datu Blah Sinsuat, Maguindanao del Norte.

Dr. Ariff Baguindali, head of the Maguindanao del Sur Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), said the victims, members of the Teduray community in Barangay Linao, fell ill after eating cooked sea turtle, or “pawikan,” on Nov. 26.

“Let us refrain from eating seafood that is not well-cleansed,” Baguindali said in a radio interview.

Of the 35 individuals treated for food poisoning, only one remains in the hospital while the rest have recovered. Health workers are closely monitoring their condition and conducting community awareness campaigns on food safety practices, Baguindanali said.

The three fatalities, whose names were withheld at the request of their families, were immediately buried in accordance with local customs.

Barangay Linao, a coastal village reliant on fishing, frequently consumes a variety of marine species abundant in the area.

Sea turtles are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which emphasizes their protection as part of global conservation efforts. (PNA)