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Three other residents of Barangay Lipaga are still undergoing treatment at the provincial hospital here also because of rabies, apparently bitten by the same dog. Two of them were identified as Maria Josie Sandijo and Rogelio Mulate, both residents of Barangay Bagong Tapay, also in M’lang.
The North Cotabato Provincial Veterinarian Office reported that that the dog owned by the Peniaranda family became rabid last December. Its first victim was Labanza, who was on his way home from school. Tolentino, who was on the road when the attack happened, tried to rescue the boy but was also bitten by the mad dog.
The dog ran to as far as Barangay Bagong Tapay in M’lang and attacked at least three more bystanders in the area.
But what scares veterinary officials most is the report that 17 residents of Barangay Bagong Tapay feasted on the meat of the rabid dog. Dr. Enrico Garzon, the province’s veterinarian, said he immediately dispatched a team to the area to investigate the incident.
This was the second incident since 2006 that instead of locking up a rabid dog, residents ate its meat. The first case was in Magpet, a hinterland town in North Cotabato, where the meat of a rabid dog was eaten by at least 30 people. Before that, the dog had already killed a resident in the area. (MindaNews)
