Hundreds hospitalized with food poisoning during Imelda Marcos’ lavish 90th birthday celebration

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About 260 people were hospitalized Wednesday after experiencing food poisoning during Imelda Marcos’ 90th birthday celebration.

An estimated 2,000 people attended the event at a sports complex east of Manila for the former first lady of the Philippines.

Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, which deployed emergency teams to aid patients, said victims “suffered from vomiting and dizziness.”

Gordon, who is also a Philippine senator, said the victims fell ill after eating the event’s meat stew and eggs; he began tweeting out pictures and reports of the incident during the aftermath.

Marcos’ eldest daughter, Imee Marcos, 63, who took office as a senator this week, stated that despite the corrupted food, the family is steady.

“The food may have been spoiled, but we remain solid,” she said.

Imelda Marcos, former Philippines first lady and widow of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, is seen in Manila on Oct. 16, 2018. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez, File)

Imelda Marcos’ late husband, former President Ferdinand Marcos, ruled the Philippines for two decades before being exiled to Hawaii three years after the 1986 “people power” revolution ended his reign.

During the Marcos dictatorship, Imelda and Ferdinand were believed to have stolen up to $10 billion from the government treasury, killing or imprisoning thousands of activists who opposed their rule. Imelda Marcos is widely recognized for her lavish wealth, gaining attention for her shoe collection, when thousands of pairs were discovered after the public ransacked the presidential palace as the first family fled 33 years ago.

While only a small percentage of those assets were recovered, President Rodrigo Duterte said that the Marcos family approached him two years ago willing to return some of the money. They did not admit that they were guilty of any crimes.

Duterte, who was elected in 2016, has been loyal to the Marcos family and stated that they significantly supported his campaign. He subsequently kept his promises to the family, reburying the remains of Ferdinand Marcos in Manila’s heroes’ cemetery which ignited protests.

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Last November, a Philippine court sentenced Imelda Marcos to more than 40 years in prison on charges that she created private organizations to hide her wealth. She remains free despite the court warrant for her arrest.

Fox News' Morgan Cheung contributed to this report.