Jauhn Etienne Villaruel

Article (news)

Hernel Tocmo

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1770343086931viber_image_2026-02-03_19-48-10_cropped_processed_by_imagy.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The Philippine Animal Welfare Society maintained that the viral video showing a horse tied behind a truck and allegedly dragged until it collapsed from exhaustion constitutes animal cruelty. 📷༘ Cheryl Paclar via Hernel Tocmo</span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>MANILA —The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) maintained that the viral video showing a horse tied behind a truck and allegedly dragged until it collapsed from exhaustion constitutes animal cruelty.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/2/4/horse-allegedly-dragged-by-truck-sparks-concern-owner-denies-abuse-says-it-s-controlled-training-0957">Horse allegedly dragged by truck sparks concern; owner denies abuse, says it’s controlled training</a></div><p>Motorists along the curved stretch of road known as Dragon Tail in the town of Claveria, Misamis Oriental, were shocked after witnessing a horse being dragged by a truck on Sunday.</p><p>The video, uploaded by Vincent Piscos on social media, sparked outrage among netizens over the treatment of the horse by its owner and the truck driver.</p><p>Jose Castro, the owner of the horse, defended the incident, saying it was part of a “controlled training” method that he has been practicing for the past 10 years on Kabang, his three-year-old male horse.</p><p>Castro also said the horse may have panicked and run faster because of many motorcycle riders along the highway. However, motorists who witnessed the incident said the truck was moving fast and that the horse was visibly being dragged.</p><p>“I’ve been raising horses for more than a decade na. In fact, si Kabang ay third generation na kabayo ko. Si Kabang ay tapos na sa several types of training, of course may mga stages yan. Tapos na rin po sa familiarization ng mga sasakyan, so hindi na siya masyadong nagugulat. Nasa stage na po siya na kailangan na po siyang i-expose sa daan,” he told ABS-CBN News.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;HINDI TAMANG TRAINING&#x27;</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>But PAWS executive director Ana Cabrera said that regardless of how the owner defended the incident, it still constitutes animal cruelty.</p><p>She said horses should undergo training in a controlled environment and not on public highways, where vehicles could hit the animal.</p><p>“I think the owner is trying to speak to the argument na ito daw yung proper training and exercise, but any horse expert will tell you that hindi ganyan ang page-exercise or training, usually it’s in a controlled environment na paikot. I’ve spoken to horse veterinarians and horse experts, and hindi yan ang tamang training,” she said.</p><p>Cabrera also said she is not convinced that the horse was merely resting when it was seen lying on the road after the incident, which the owner earlier attributed to lateral recumbency, a condition he said is normal for tired horses.</p><p>“Further, talagang nag-collapse yung horse from a standing or upright position and this is not resting. This is something that is indicative of may sakit ang kabayo or extremely exhausted for the horse to be collapsing after such an exercise,” she said.</p><p>“The owner will try to make excuses. Lahat kasi ng mga na-filean na namin na case or pag na-spotlight yung cruelty, they will try to make an excuse. Pero very clear naman na dina-drag, na yung tali ay talagang nakahila doon sa horse and hindi yan ang proper training kasi nga if it’s in a street or road, that’s not even safe for the animal,” she added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PNP: HORSE WAS BEING TRANSPORTED, NOT TRAINED</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Contrary to the owner’s claim that the horse was undergoing training when the viral video was taken, police investigation showed otherwise.</p><p>Lt. Col. Dennis Delos Santos, chief of the Gingoog City Police Station, said their initial findings indicate that the horse was being transported.</p><p>“According sa investigation ay malapit lang daw yung from where kinuha yung kabayo at yung pupuntahan nila. Tapos undermanned yung may-ari. Parang tinatawag na wala siyang farmhand kasi, so nahirapan siyang isakay yung kabayo sa likod ng elf sa sasakyan niya. So considering daw na malapit lang yung pupuntahan lang nya so kinaladkad nalang nya,” he said.</p><p>Castro denied the police findings, saying he has the logistics to properly transport a horse.</p><p>“Kung gusto ko talaga, the purpose is to transport, the vehicle that I’m using is pwede gamitin na isakay yung kabayo, at the same time, mayroon po akong sariling trailer kung yun po talaga ang purpose,” he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>APPEAL FOR WITNESSES</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, PAWS continues to appeal to netizens and motorists who witnessed the incident to cooperate as the group prepares to file charges for violations of the Animal Welfare Act.</p><p>Cabrera said affidavits from witnesses are crucial to pursuing the case.</p><p>“If we allege that information in the complaint, wala kaming first hand or personal knowledge. So, hindi to tatayo, baka hindi siya makitaan ng fiscal ng probable cause,” she said.</p><p>PAWS said that while it has received substantial information, it remains difficult to build a case because witnesses are hesitant to execute affidavits.</p><p>“We will do much of the heavy lifting here sa PAWS. Kami yung maggagawa ng affidavit. We will be complainant. All they have to do is be a witness who will stand with us on this case para mapanagot itong taong ito,” she said.</p><p>“Last year, maraming nagva-viral na cases. We got 700 plus reports of animal cruelty. Ang na-file lang is 8 kasi nga people think na ipapa-viral lang sa Facebook or ita-tag lang ang PAWS, okay na. Kasi sabi nila, maliwanag naman sa video. That’s not how a case works,” she added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ij8bzHY_hQs?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6CI-TIGi-Ak?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>PAWS continues to appeal to netizens and motorists who witnessed the incident to cooperate as the group prepares to file charges for violations of the Animal Welfare Act.</p>

PAWS continues to appeal to netizens and motorists who witnessed the incident to cooperate as the group prepares to file charges for violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

PAWS stands firm on horse-dragging incident: 'Hindi ganyan ang proper training'

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PAWS stands firm on horse-dragging incident: 'Hindi ganyan ang proper training'

Hernel Tocmo

Published Feb 06, 2026 10:02 AM PHT

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animal cruelty

horse dragging

PAWS

animals

Misamis Oriental

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