By Dolly Yasa
BACOLOD City – The caterer of the spoiled lengua (ox tongue stew) served during the dinner after the State of the City Address (SOCA) of Bacolod City mayor Alfredo Albee Benitez may no longer be allowed to do business with the city government.
Atty. Joseph Chiu, secretary to the mayor, said the caterer will be delisted from the city’s list of suppliers.
“Yes, that is the process we will be undertaking,” Chiu told Daily Guardian on Wednesday.
Chiu said the caterer, one of the four that served food during the event, was called to the Bacolod City Government Center and was made to explain to the mayor.
He said the caterer who earlier called a press conference and denied the dish was theirs apologized to the mayor and also promised to reach out to those who were affected by the spoiled food.
The caterer, Chiu said, contended that the food they served was not “pan-os” or spoiled but may have been affected by the hot weather.
Whether the caterer will be paid or not Chiu said “we are still awaiting sa official apology and stand sang caterer, but no advice yet to pay them.”
The caterer was among the four food firms that served dinner on July 5, 2023.
It served dinner to 1,300 guests at P600 per head and charged the city government P780,000.
Earlier, guests including members of the media who were seated with barangay officials, claimed that the lengua served was spoiled. Some of them suffered stomach aches and vomiting.
A different caterer and menu were served to the mayor, city officials, and VIPs in another area.
Chiu himself said the salad served to them also tasted different as well as the lechon.
