posted Aug. 17, 2008
Finally, Two Dog Traders to Suffer One Year Jail Term Each

Candon City, Ilocos Sur- Finally for more than one year of court proceedings, two legitimate dog traders are sentenced each for one year jail term. From the decision of Candon City Municipal Trial Court held by Honorable Judge Modesto L. Quismorio, Jr., the verdict thus reads, "In view of all the foregoing evidence, the court find the accused Richard Maravilla and Rosano Del Rosario guilty beyond reasonable doubts as co-principals by direct participation in the commission of the crime charged and here sentences them to suffer the straight penalty of imprisonment of ONE (1) YEAR pursuant to section 8 of Republic Act 8485.

City Prosecutor Emmy Lou V. Rubang-Mangasar representing the prosecution, narrates that the accused did not expect the decision to be against them, they were "...speechless while shaking their heads, the police immediately handcuffed the two and brought them to the city jail," Pros. Mangasar added.

It was on July 26, 2007 at 11;30 am, with the joint efforts of the Candon City Police Office lead by Police Inspector Providencio Calibuso, City Veterinarian DVM Roland Maranion and the Animal Kingdom Foundation caught Richard Maravilia of 349 Quezon, Cuyab, San Pedro, Laguna and Rosano Del Rosario of Barangay Camcam Binian Laguna in an attempt to transport 60 live dogs to Vigan City Ilocos sur. The rescue team flagged the vehicle of the two Mitsubishi van with plate number XTN 261 in an established check point which resulted to their arrest.

All the 60 live dogs were brought at the Animal Kingdom Foundation rescue center in Capas Tarlac for rehabilitation.

During the arraignment, the accused pleaded not guilty to the offense and challenged the prosecution. The prosecution invited AKF Senior Researcher Brando Gegway to offer his knowledge about the illegal business of the accused .The testimony regarding the surveillance conducted on the dog traders activities strengthened the case. Brando Gegway

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Updated Aug. 2008
AKFI seizes butchered dogs in Baguio raid
By: Nixon A. Canlapan

CRUELTY TO ANIMAL -- The raiding team places the burned dogs’ carcasses in sacks.

The Animal Kingdom Foundation Inc., a London-based animal rights group, raised the fight against animal abuse to the next level with simultaneous raids on dog traders in Baguio City yesterday, the day the anti-rabies law took effect.

At 7:30 a.m., the group, accompanied by members of the National Meat Inspection Service led by OIC director Dr. Florentino Pintor, the Criminal Investigation Detection Group led by SPO4 Risal Malicsi, and the AKF led by Brando D. Gegway, AKF senior investigative researcher, raided the Baguio Public Market and arrested several dog meat vendors and one dog trader.

George Quimpo, officer in charge of the Philippine Chapter of the AKF said the suspects are now at the custody of the Baguio City Police. He said the traders will be charged with violation of R.A. 9482 or the Philippine Anti-Rabies Law, specifically Section 7 which prohibits trading of dog meats. The suspects were identified as Pio Montano, 38 and Nelson Patacsil, 27, who yielded seven butchered dogs; Brayn Angala, 19, with four butchered dogs and Jovito Corpus, 42, with three dead dogs.

“We hope to show to dog traders that we are serious in our campaign against dog meat trade,” Quimpo said.

He said the new law “has more teeth than the previous one.”

“Compared to the Animal Welfare law or R.A. 8485 this law requires stiffer penalty where in under section eleven it states that all person found quilty of trading meats will be fined P5,000.00 per dog and subjected to imprisonment of one to four years,” Gegway said.

The latest AKFI operation, he said, “is a test case of the law which took effect today. The implementing rules and guidelines or IRR was published July 15 and ended on July 26, meaning after two weeks of publication, the law was ready for implementation, he said.

“The Animal Kingdom Foundation one of the sponsors of the law planned to stage the test case in Baguio to challenge the political will of Baguio’s concerned officials since until now a lot of dog meats are still very rampant inside the baguio public market. Hopefully this will awake this conerned authorities and put an end on the sale of dog meats at the Baguio market,” Quimpo said.

“This is not anoverpower the Cordillera culture where most people insist that eating dog meats is a tradition in the reagion. It’s all about protecting the people’s health due to the high risk of rabies that can be taken from eating dog meats,” he said.

The 258 kilos of butchered dogs were brought to the NMIS compound for disposal.

AKFI, a registered animal-welfare group in the country, has been at the forefront of a campaign against dog cruelty, saving dogs for nearly six years now. Armed with the Animal Welfare Act of 1998 (RA 8485), it spearheaded rescue operations in the country. Its two-hectare rescue center in Capas, Tarlac presently houses 300 rescued native dogs.

Anticipating litters from our pet dogs is a wonderful occasion, a family affair that keeps everyone anxious and celebrating once the cuddly puppies arrive. It is an event that we make sure the whole neighborhood knows. Well, we have news for you, fellow animal-lovers, we have our first borns, all eleven of them, in our recently inaugurated rescue center in Capas, Tarlac! Yes, we are in the business of saving dogs bound for slaughter and nothing has prepared us for this momentous event, it turned out that during our last year’s consecutive rescue operation in Tuguegarao (August 30, 2006) and La Union (November 2, 2006 and December 1, 2006) there were manhandled and maltreated pregnant dogs recovered by our researchers.

The gruesome state we find them during rescue operations is a sight not for the faint-hearted: skins of their muzzles and ankles deeply torn by restraints; gall-bladders ruptured due to intense heat inside a cramped makeshift-floor of the dog-traders’ vehicles; broken bones and open wounds caused by manhandling; smeared by their own excreta and blood; some dead, some barely breathing while some more die along the way to the rescue center, it is never a pretty sight and for these new mums to deliver cute little puppies in the center, it is a miracle!

With each rescue operations we make, AKF is always hoping to rescue more live dogs rather than recover dead ones; nothing is more rewarding seeing these dogs run freely in our rescue center when they were supposed to have been slaughtered a few days ago and, now, we have new-borns, a miracle!

Argenta has 5 lovely puppies, all 2 months old now; Avery has 2 cuddly ones, both a month old; and Bonnie with 4 cute bundles, all born on January 2, 2007! They are now being watched lovingly and tenderly by our two resident veterinarians and cared for by their watchful “daddies”, our three caring kennel-aids. These puppies will never experience what their parents have gone through as long as they are in our care! We are all excited caring for them but we know that these cuddly ones need a family out there that would lovingly accept them as pets and shower them TLC. They have to be what they are meant for, loving cute pets to a loving and caring family.

Our center accepts visits and we have an active adoption program in place, both on-line and actual. Presently, we have 201 rescued dogs in the center and they all subsist due to donations and support given us by animal-lovers out there. The growing expenses that entail our rescuing of dogs are mostly coming from the dogs much needed sustenance, medications and regular physical management plus the maintenance of the center. Thru our adoption program, you, fellow animal-lover, can make possible our rescuing more slaughter-bound dogs and give them comforts they badly need. Also, we are eager in promoting responsible pet-ownership thereby giving these once ill-treated animals, and now puppies born from these dogs, a new chance at life.

For the promotion of animal welfare in the country, come and visit our center and see the little ones born there and the other happy dogs that have totally forgotten their dreadful experience.