A Norwegian Scientist confirmed the possible exposure to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin of residents from a farming village in Polomolok, South Cotabato who were downed last year by infection suspected to have been caused by Bt corn planted in the area.

Dr. Terje Traavik, a scientist from the Norwegian Institute of Gene Ecology, said preliminary results of a study conducted on blood samples taken last year from at least 38 farmers and individuals from Sitio Kalyong, barangay National Landan in Polomolok town yielded the presence of the Bt toxin.

"Antibodies in the human blood show that these people have been exposed to the Bt toxin during the last few months," Traavik, who stidied the blood samples, said in a statement released this morning by the South East Asia Regional Initiatives for Community Empowerment (Searice).

However, the scientist also noted that the results of the preliminary studies are not yet conclusive.

"(The analysis) has shown a coincidence in time which may or may not show a cause and effect relationship between the production of antibodies against Bt toxin and the disease allegedly suffered by these farmers and individuals," he said.

Traavik recommended the need to do more follow up studies, saying. "The most pressing issue now is to see that the rest of the studies here are carried out as soon as possible."

At least 106 lumad (indigenous people) residents, mostly elderly and children, sought medical treatment in July last year due to infections supposedly caused by the pollens of 60-day-old Bt corn planted in at least two sites in Sitio kalyong. 

Sister Susan Bolanio, director of the Social Action Center of the Diocese of Marbel, said the natives, belonging to the B'laan tribe, complain of various illness supposedly during the two-week flowering stage of the Bt corn produced by biotechnology firm Monsanto Philippines.

The controversial Bt corn, marketed by Monsanto YieldGard 818, was planted separately in May 18 last year in two sites, covering one hectare each. 

According to documented accounts by at least 51 residents, the symptoms allegedly caused by the Bt corn range from gastrointestinal pain, vomiting, headache, cough, colds and skin allergies.

Palomolok health officer Dr. Edwin Dipus who personally examined and treated the patients, expressed doubts whether the reported illness were caused by Bt corn.

He said the patients, who were mostly treated for respiratory tract infections, could have acquired them because of the rainy season then.

However, he recommended a deeper study by toxicology experts on the claims of the supposed Bt corn victims.

Searice immediately brought the incident to the attention of Dr. Lynn Crisanta Panganiban, chair of the National Poison Control and Information Service of the University of the Philippine College of Medicine.

Based on her analysis on the documented cases, Panganiban noted that the "clustering effect on the manifestation of symptoms at almost the same period is more indicative of a chemical exposure rather than biological exposure."

In September last year, Traavik, who was then conducting an independent research on Bt corn in South Cotabato, got hold of the report and immediately offered to analyze the blood samples of the affected residents in his laboratory at the University of Tromso in Norway.

The blood samples from 38 affected individuals were taken on Oct. 18 last year in Polomolok and were reportedly under the supervision of a municipal health officer and a registered medical technologist.

The samples were sent by Searice to Dr. Traavik's laboratory at the University if Tromso on Oct. 12.

When informed about such findings this morning, Monsanto officials here were skeptical and recommended an independent study on the matter.

"We really don't know how they were able to determine such findings except that they came from those opposing our product," Francisco Camacho, Monsanto's technology development executive here, told the MindaNews in a telephone interview. He said the credibility of the findings should be substantiated especially the process of the analysis was based of accepted scientific standards," he said.

Camacho also said the alleged infection of Landan residents form the Bt corn plants was the only report they received out of the hundreds of sites planted with Bt corn in this city and nearby South Cotabato.

The government approved Monsanto' application for the commercialization of Bt corn in December 2002.

Monsanto started the distribution of its Bt corn products through Dekalb and several private seed companies based in Northern Luzon.