Police pursue case for animal cruelty

CEBU, Philippines — The police have pursued the filing of criminal complaint for animal cruelty against a man who allegedly splashed hot water on a dog and a cat in Mambaling, Cebu City on Sunday morning.

This despite the compromised agreement entered into between the dog owner and the suspect.

Police Lt. Col. Janette Rafter, deputy director for operations at Cebu City Police Office, has reiterated that the police handle animal cases in the city.

Even if they have yet to install animal welfare desk in every station, there is already a trained personnel or a focal person who will look deeper into this kind of case.

“Ang amo diha mahunong nami sa amoang obligasyon as long as naduso na namo sa korte, so kung naa sila’y regardless unsay ilahang kasabutan ilaha nana diha dili manginlabot ang atong kapulisan, didto na sila mag-abot sa fiscal kung unsa man gani ang ilahang nasabutan,” said Rafter.

Pet owner Gina Lucido said on Monday that she withdrew the filing of complaint against 23-year-old Jason Fuentes after they both signed a compromised agreement.

Lucido said that if the suspect had apologized immediately, they would not have been in the situation.

She said she wants to teach the suspect a lesson for what he did so that he will not insult not only his dog but also others.

The dog owner reportedly accepted Fuentes' apology.

“Tagaan nako siya og second chance kay first offense pa man siya, nahulog eye opener sa katawhan nga dili gyud diay angay dagmalan ang hayop,” said Lucido.

Fuentes vowed not to commit the same illegal act again as he learned his lesson the hard way.

Fuentes, who recently admitted he threw hot water to a dog and cat, was jailed at the Mambaling Police Station. — GMR (FREEMAN)