Father and son die after eating butete

A fisherman and his son died after eating puffer fish locally known as butete in their home in Bantayan town, northern Cebu, last Monday.

Peter Cordova, a 39-year-old fisherman of the islet barangay of Botigues in Bantayan town, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Bantayan District Hospital at 2:25 p.m last Monday. His 8-year-old son Peter Paul died at the emergency room five minutes later.

Hospital nurse Roque Destabeladero said Peter’s 38-year-old wife Eva and their 18-year-old son Jofer are still recovering at the same hospital.

Destabeladero said Peter Paul died due to cardiopulmonary arrest secondary to respiratory failure caused by paralysis from puffer fish poisoning. He said the victims experienced body malaise, dizziness, difficulty in breathing, headache and stomachache after eating the puffer fish at lunch.

The couple’s 16-year-old daughter Kristel wasn’t at home during the incident. She said her father went fishing last Monday morning and arrived home with the puffer fish.

Kristel said their family used to eat puffer fish and her father’s catch was cooked in a specialty called locally as “linabog.” After lunch, her father went to their neighbor but later returned home and complained of dizziness, the same condition felt by his wife and sons.

Kristel said she was told that their neighbors even helped by giving some medications, including soft drinks and coconut oil, but their situation worsened.

They were transported by a pumpboat to the hospital in mainland Bantayan town. Botigues is 30- to 45-minute trip to mainland Bantayan town.

Municipal social welfare officer Dolly Derecho said the municipal government donated coffins and an initial P4,000 cash assistance to the family.