By Felipe V. Celino
ROXAS CITY, Capiz – Four individuals, including a Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) chairman, were found guilty of hanging and beating a dog to death in Barangay Blasco, Pilar, Capiz, on May 8, 2024.
The accused included a barangay tanod, the SK chairman of Barangay Blasco, the dog’s owner, and the person who filmed the incident.
Atty. Ann Margaret Dy, president of Capiz Animal Welfare Advocate Inc. (CAWAI), stated in a recent Facebook post that the four were found guilty of violating Republic Act No. 8485, or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998, which carries a penalty of imprisonment of not less than six months.
However, the court imposed a fine of PHP 2,500 each instead of imprisonment.
An investigation by CAWAI revealed that the claim that the dog was rabid and dangerous was unsubstantiated.
The dog was buried immediately after the killing, preventing verification of the claim.
Reports indicated that the individuals involved admitted their actions.
Despite their apologies, CAWAI pursued the complaint, which was eventually elevated to the court by the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
