John Arcilla seeks probe into dumped pet remains in Bulacan
MANILA, Philippines — Actor and pet owner John Arcilla called for an investigation after reports that remains of pets entrusted to a crematorium were instead dumped in a vacant lot in Bulacan.
The award-winning actor took to social media on Sunday to call for accountability and an investigation into the incident.
Arcilla shared that all 11 of his dogs that died of old age or illness had been cremated.
He said pet owners who pay for cremation services deserve to know whether their pets received the services they paid for.
"KAILANGAN ma-investigate lahat ng pet crematoriums at ma-double-check ang kanilang facilities kung able and capable ba silang mag-operate as crematoriums. Kung hindi at kahina-hinala ang kanilang operations, DAPAT IPA-CLOSE ITO, at ipakulong ang mga sangkot dito," Arcilla wrote.
He stressed that pet owners spend significant amounts on such services because they consider their pets part of their families.
"HINDI ITO OVERREACTION. We pay a good sum for these services. For the love of our pets, whom we consider members of our families," Arcilla said.
The actor also tagged animal welfare groups, including the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), which has called on affected pet owners to pursue legal action.
PAWS calls for legal action
PAWS on Saturday urged pet owners who were allegedly deceived by the crematorium to come forward and file complaints.
The group said the discovery of the remains may not directly fall under the Animal Welfare Act if the animals were already dead when they were turned over to the crematorium.
Instead, PAWS said falsely representing that a pet had been cremated after collecting payment for the service could constitute estafa under Article 315(2)(a) of the Revised Penal Code.
"This is a grave betrayal of trust, punishable under Article 315(2)(a) of the Revised Penal Code," PAWS said. "This is not merely a failure to deliver a service but constitutes Estafa by means of deceit."
PAWS urged affected pet owners to keep receipts, cremation certificates, communications, photographs and other evidence that could support complaints.
It also called on local authorities to investigate whether the crematorium had the necessary permits and whether the disposal of the remains violated sanitation, environmental or local regulations.
"The emotional harm suffered by these pet parents must not be dismissed. They entrusted the remains of beloved family members for a dignified farewell, only to be deprived of that farewell at a particularly vulnerable moment of grief," PAWS said.
The group encouraged affected owners to work together in seeking accountability, saying evidence from individual complaints could help establish the extent of any wrongdoing.
"The trust of a grieving family is not something to be exploited," PAWS said. — with reports from Kristine Daguno-Bersamina
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