PAWS sues 5 Manila City Pound execs for alleged animal cruelty

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) has filed criminal cases against five veterinarians of Manila City pound before the Office of the Ombudsman for reported animal cruelty.

PAWS lodged complaints for violation of Animal Welfare Act as well as cases of grave misconduct, gross neglect of duty and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service against Hector David Dimaculangan, assistant chief of the Pound & Animal Disease Control Services Division of the Manila City Pound; Virgil Benedict De Jesus, City Veterinarian; Joey Diaz, Supervising Veterinarian; Nicanor Santos Jr., member of the Veterinary Inspection Board; and Narcisa Bacanto Javier, member of the Veterinary Inspection Board and chief of its Pound & Animal Disease Control Services Division.

The complaints stemmed from reports that the officials allegedly crammed 60 cats inside a two foot by three cage; subjecting dogs and cats to starvation and dehydration and pound’s inability to treat sick and wounded animals including a disfigured dog.

PAWS also said they received social media reports that some animals were not euthanized but were left to die from illness or neglect.

https://www.facebook.com/pawsphilippines/photos/a.177873682258285/3270107879701501

“The number of diseased, dying, and dead animals the Complainants observed within the facility, as well as social media reports showing the empty cages of the Manila Pound shortly after the imposition of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) indicated that the animals were not euthanized but were left to die from neglect and disease ‘perhaps to spare the City of the expense of having to euthanize them,'” PAWS wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Under the 17-page complaint, PAWS called for the preventive suspension of the officials as well as disqualification from holding office.

“Order the preventive suspension of the respondents while this case is being investigated to prevent them from using their power and positions to tamper with documents and other evidence, particularly at the Manila City Pound itself,” read the complaint.

“Dismiss the respondents from their service, cancel their eligibility, forfeit their retirement benefits, perpetually disqualify them from holding public office, and bar them from taking the civil service examination, among others,” it added.

PAWS chief Anna Cabrera said animal cruelty must end, saying stray animals must still be treated humanely even inside pounds.

“While we lodged the case before the Ombudsman, we trust that Mayor Isko [Moreno] would take urgent action and stop the ongoing inhumane practices towards animals being committed by the officials in charge of Manila’s very own city pound,” she said in a statement.

INQUIRER.net has sought comment from authorities of the Manila government but there was no response as of posting.