Push Admin

Prosecutor dismisses PAWS complaint over ‘Oro’ dog slaughter

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/entertainment/04/07/oro-1.jpg"/></figure></div>A Pasig City prosecutor has dismissed a complaint filed by the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) against the director and producer of &quot;Oro&quot; over a scene depicting the slaughter of a dog that was shown during the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival. Documents received by PAWS showed that Pasig City assistant prosecutor John Ong ruled to dismiss the complaint, which centered around the argument that director Alvin Yapan and producer Mark Shandii Bacolod violated Republic Act 8485 (Animal Welfare Act) when they filmed a dog being butchered during the making of their film.In sharing the decision, PAWS <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pawsphilippines/photos/a.177873682258285.37389.176442875734699/1341913149187660">released a statement</a> vowing to &quot;pursue its legal remedies to reverse the resolution.&quot; &quot;While this news initially was disappointing to our team of volunteers seeking justice for the dogs who were killed in the making of the &#x27;Oro&#x27; movie, this development has strengthened PAWS&#x27; resolve to pursue all other available legal actions against the filmmakers,&quot; it read. Yapan and Bacolod are suspended for one year from participating in the MMFF over the said scene. According to Film Development Council of the Philippines chairperson Liza Diño, the ban was based on the &quot;Oro&quot; team&#x27;s admission that it lied when it initially said that no animals were harmed during the filming of the scene. Yapan and co. justified the use of a real animal saying that the scene &quot;was within the bounds of culture in that area where dogs are eaten as food.&quot; The filmmakers also claimed no one from the film&#x27;s production team, including its cast, participated in the slaughter, and that they were merely filming an event in the community based in Caramoan, Camarines Sur. The PAWS complaint was filed on January 11. Below is the full statement from PAWS posted on its Facebook account: &quot;It is a sad day for animal welfare. &quot;Today, we received a copy of the Resolution of Pasig City Assistant Prosecutor John Y. Ong dismissing the PAWS Complaint versus the &#x27;Oro&#x27; movie director and producers Alvin Yapan, Jane Gonzales, Mark Shandi Bacolod and Arriane Dulay for violation of Section 9 of RA 8485.&quot;PAWS firmly believes that there is probable cause to hold these people criminally liable for violation for the act of making business out of cruelty to an animal and will pursue its legal remedies to reverse the above resolution. &quot;The accused have not denied the brutal killing of the poor defenseless dog in this case nor have they denied that they filmed and included the same in their movie. &quot;This is a clear violation of the Animal Welfare Act and should not be excused by either the Prosecutor&#x27;s office or society.&quot;While this news initially was disappointing to our team of volunteers seeking justice for the dogs who were killed in the making of the ORO movie, this development has strengthened PAWS&#x27; resolve to pursue all other available legal actions against the filmmakers. &quot;Further, PAWS will continue to lobby for and raise awareness about the humane treatment of animals used in film production and in the media and entertainment industry. Animals deserve to be treated with kindness and respect.&quot;

PAWS released a statement vowing to "pursue its legal remedies to reverse the resolution."

PAWS released a statement vowing to "pursue its legal remedies to reverse the resolution."