The Lason Batch refers to a September 5, 1987 mass

poisoning A poison can be any substance that is harmful to the body. It can be swallowed, inhaled, injected or absorbed through the skin. Poisoning is the harmful effect that occurs when too much of that substance has been taken. Poisoning is not to ...

attack against

Philippine Constabulary The Philippine Constabulary (PC; tl, Hukbóng Pamayapà ng Pilipinas, ''HPP''; es, Policía de Filipinas, ''PF'') was a gendarmerie-type police force of the Philippines from 1901 to 1991, and the predecessor to the Philippine National Po ...

forces on the island of

Mindanao Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...

in the southern

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

which caused the deaths of almost an entire

platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may range ...

of soldiers and hospitalization of well over a hundred troops. The incident involved 18-19 year old soldiers running along roads near their camp on the outskirts of

Zamboanga City Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano and es, Ciudad de Zamboanga, Tausug language, Tausūg: ''Dāira sin Sambuangan'', fil, Lungsod ng Zamboanga, ceb, Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region ...

where they had been newly stationed following completion of basic training. While jogging these troops were offered free ice water in small plastic bags by seeming civilians, but soon the majority of the 225 soldiers on the run fell ill. Over that Saturday and the following day 19 died and 140 were hospitalized. Initially it was thought those affected had suffered heatstrokes, but officers and attending physicians at the military hospital treating victims said they displayed classic symptoms of

pesticide poisoning A pesticide poisoning occurs when pesticides, chemicals intended to control a pest, affect non-target organisms such as humans, wildlife, plant, or bees. There are three types of pesticide poisoning. The first of the three is a single and short- ...

including disorientation, headaches, dizziness, stomach pains and vomiting of blood. Those responsible for attacking this group of young soldiers—who came to be colloquially described in

mixed language A mixed language is a language that arises among a bilingual group combining aspects of two or more languages but not clearly deriving primarily from any single language. It differs from a creole language, creole or pidgin, pidgin language in that ...

as "the Lason Batch" —were never identified, but perpetrators were most likely either communist rebels, Muslim separatists, or one of several domestic insurgent groups operating in strife-torn areas of

at the time. The casualty toll from this poisoning was one of the highest for attacks against Philippine military personnel, and resulted in the

Armed Forces of the Philippines The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ( fil, Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) are the military forces of the Philippines. It consists of three main service branches; the Army, the Air Force, and the Navy (including the Marine Corps). The P ...

later instituting restrictions against its members accepting any food or beverages from civilians.{{Cite web, title=Remembering the Lason Batch Death Anniversary, url=https://www.ikkisticandon.com/news/remembering-the-lason-batch-death-anniversary-exactly-30-years-ago-the-afp, access-date=2020-08-07, website=Ikkis Ti Candon (Beta), language=en

References

1987 in the Philippines Mass poisoning