MANILA, Philippines – Actress Nora Aunor accused director Alvin Yapan of lying about the controversial dog slaughter scene in the film Oro.

In a Senate hearing led by Senator Grace Poe on Tuesday, January 24, regarding the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2016, Aunor said the killing of the dog was part of the original script.

She claimed the filmmakers had really planned to kill the dog by hitting it on the head with a piece of wood and slashing its gut.

“Nasa script po ‘yung pagpatay ng aso, at ang dapat pang papatay doon sa aso ay si John Rendez. Pero umayaw din si John Rendez, kaya tinanggal din po siya sa pelikula. Nung tinanggal siya, tinanggal din ako,” Aunor said.

(It was in the script that they had to slaughter a dog, and the one who was supposed to kill the dog was John Rendez. But John Rendez refused, that’s why he was removed from the movie. When he was removed, I was dropped too.)

“Kaya hindi sila (filmmakers) nagsasabi ng totoo. Sinungaling po siya (Yapan),” Aunor added.

(That’s why the filmmakers are not telling the truth. Yapan is a liar.)

‘Butchered by locals’

The director earlier claimed the dog slaughter scene was shot “reality-style,” since the dog was being butchered by locals for a resident’s wake.

“Hindi po kami ang pumatay ng aso para lang sa pelikula. Ako po kasi mismo ay hindi ko kayang pumatay ng aso, hindi ko alam kung papaano pumatay ng aso,” he reiterated in the Senate hearing.

(We did not kill a dog just for the film. I myself cannot kill a dog, and I don’t even know how to do so.)

Yapan also said that contrary to what the Kabisera actress said, Rendez’s character was not even part of the controversial scene.

Laws to be followed

As Yapan insisted that locals in the area where they were filming butchered dogs as part of tradition, Poe reminded him there are still laws to be followed.

“Marami sa ating mga kababayan ang hindi nakakaintindi ng batas, na mayroong ibang mga lugar na may tradition pero kailangan pa rin kumuha ng permit,” she said. 

(There are many of our countrymen who do not understand laws, that even though certain areas have traditions, permits are still needed.)

Senator Joel Villanueva also told Yapan that even if they did not take part in the killing, the mere fact that they showed the scene was already glorifying the act.

Yapan apologized for offending others, but also maintained that he wanted to show what was happening in society. (READ: ‘Oro’ director, producer address controversial dog slaughter scene) 

“Paulit-ulit ko rin pong sasabihin, kailangan din ninyo po maintindihan kung saan din po ako nagmumula, na hindi ko po ito ginawa upang mang-gago. Ito po ay isa kong reaksyon sa nangyayari ngayon bilang isang creative artist, bilang isang director. Reaksyon ko ito sa mga nangyayari sa lipunan natin upang papaano, ‘yung araw-araw [na] pagpatay ng tao, ay hindi na natin iniinda,” he said.

(I will keep repeating, you also have to understand where I’m coming from, that I did not do this just to play around. This is my reaction to what’s happening, as a creative artist, as a director. This is my reaction to what’s happening around us, especially the nonstop killings of people.)

Yapan, producer Mark Shandii Bacolod, and Feliz Productions were suspended by the MMFF Executive Committee for one year, following complaints about the dog slaughter scene. They were also reprimanded for lying and for not following the MMFF’s recommendation of putting a disclaimer in the movie. – Rappler.com