Four children in Brgy. Rizal Pala-Pala, Zone 2, Iloilo City fell ill and were rushed to the hospital after they ate the poisonous fruits of the jatropha plant, locally known as kasla, Friday evening.

Victims Noel Soliman, Jr., Abegail Porras, and Jemar Tolentino were brought to West Visayas State University Medical Center.

Joshua Vergara, who was said to be the most ill among the four, was rushed to the Western Visayas Medical Center.

According to Noel Soliman, Sr., his son and his three playmates, aged 7 to 10 years old, said that they got lured into eating the fruits of the kasla plant after it initially tasted like milk and peanut.

Shortly later, the four complained of stomach pain and began vomiting.

After receiving treatment, they were released from hospital confinement Saturday morning.

Even earlier, health authorities have warned the public against eating the seeds or fruits of jathropa or physic nut tree, (scientific name: Jatropha curcas), or tubang-bakod or tuba-tuba or kasla (Visayas), because of its ill effects.

A very ordinary plant especially in the rural areas, jathropa is commonly used as fence. It is a soft, woody shrub with smooth gray bark that exudes a whitish, watery sap when cut.  

According to erdb.denr.gov.ph, jatropha is also recognized for its medicinal and industrial purposes. But recently, this plant became highly in-demand, owing to its non-edible vegetable oil that can be used in producing a commercially viable alternative to petrodiesel. Using this natural resource, we can cook food and run engines that are powered by diesel oil.*