The city government destroyed genetically modified eggplants being field-tested in a site at the University of the Philippines Mindanao in Barangay (village) Mintal here as people involved in the experimentation cried. The whole experimental site was completely shut down Saturday and about 1,500 Bt, or Bacillus thuringiensis, eggplants, about a half of them already bearing flowers and fruits, were destroyed, city officials said.

The destroyed plants were buried in a ditch.

he uprooting of the controversial crops followed the December 13 cease-and-desist order issued by Mayor Inday Sara Duterte against the experimentation, which was highly criticized for its alleged lack of transparency.