Couple behind 'crush videos' arrested in La Union

MANILA, Philippines - The Filipino couple allegedly behind the production and circulation of so-called “crush videos” has been arrested in La Union last Tuesday morning, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said yesterday.

According to PETA, suspects Dorma “Chita” Ridon and her husband Vicente were nabbed by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Burgos town.

The Ridons, PETA said, posted bail but are expected to face trial within the year for charges of child abuse and violation of the animal welfare law (Republic Act 8485).

PETA said additional charges of human trafficking and violation of the wildlife protection law are also being readied against the couple.

PETA said its hotline – 0999-888-PETA (7382) – was swamped with at least 200 calls after it announced a P100,000 reward for any information leading to the Ridons’ arrest.

The Ridons went into hiding shortly after media and other animal rights groups broke the story about their illegal activities.

“Crush videos,” considered as sexual fetish, show young girls either clad in lingerie or bikini, crushing small animals with their boots or stiletto shoes.

These animals include dogs, cats, rabbits, monkeys, snakes, frogs or others that buyers of the “crush videos” would request. 

In these “crush videos,” young girls are shown kicking dogs to death, stepping on the eyes of dogs with their stiletto heels, attacking dogs with hot flat irons, snipping off the ears of bunnies using a pair of shears and then setting the bunnies on fire. In one video shown by PETA to the media, a girl stepped on a puppy until blood came out of its mouth.

“The vicious disregard for the animal suffering shown in these sadistic videos must be severely punished,” said PETA Asia’s campaign manager Rochelle Regodon.

“This is a warning to anyone who would commit cruelty-to-animal crimes: the public takes it seriously and will do all it can to see justice served,” she added.

Regodon said the Ridons sold the videos to online clients from P500 to P1,000 per clip.

According to PETA, the girls shown in the Ridons’ “crush videos,” aged 12 to 18, originally worked as nannies for the couple’s children but were later enticed to perform in lewd videos. 

“The girls were paid by the suspects to be filmed as they danced in their underwear. Later, they included the torture of small animals,” Regodon said.

“Crush videos,” according to PETA, started as a fad 10 years ago but are now declining in popularity.

PETA said the activities of the Ridons were brought to its attention by an informant in Russia who bought “crush videos” from the couple through several Internet links and websites.