Animal 'crush' video suspects jailed
MANILA, Philippines - After additional charges were filed and warrants of arrest were issued against the couple accused of making graphic videos of animals that were tortured, suspects Dorma and Vicente Ridon are now being held at the La Union Provincial Jail.
This groundbreaking case was brought to light by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia, and the Ridons were arrested at the conclusion of a year-long investigation undertaken by the National Bureau of Investigation after PETA notified the authorities.
The Ridons are currently on trial for crimes related to the production of a series of “crush” videos in which scantily clad young girls engage in the torture and killing of animals. The couple was initially charged with cruelty to animals and child abuse because the girls were minors when the videos were filmed. The department of justice has since added violations of the Wildlife Protection and Conservation Act (RA No. 9147) and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (RA No. 9208) as well as additional child abuse violations to the charges.
The case also prompted a Philippine senator to submit a resolution to conduct an inquiry on crush videos and a member of Congress to file a bill that would prohibit selling, exchanging, or distributing crush videos in the Philippines and overseas.
“Manila is ‘ground zero’ in the international war against the vile crush-video industry,” says PETA Asia vice president Jason Baker. “The Philippines has an opportunity to slam the door on animal abuse by holding the Ridons accountable for the horrific pain and misery that they have caused.”
The crush videos depict extreme cruelty to animals, including a rabbit who was skinned alive, rabbits who flailed and screamed while their ears were cut off and they were set on fire, a dog who was burned with a clothes iron, a monkey and several dogs who were repeatedly hit in the eye with the sharp end of a stiletto heel, and puppies who were crushed until they vomited their own internal organs.
For information, visit PETAAsiaPacific.com.
