‘Oro’ producer speaks up on possible charges over dog slaughter scene

MANILA, Philippines – Oro producer Shandii Bacolod said that their team is ready to face complaints, should any be filed against them, regarding a scene in the movie wherein a dog was killed. 

In a report on ABS-CBN on Wednesday, January 4, producer Shandii Bacolod told DZMM that they will respect whatever the outcome of the situation may be.

“Handa naman po kami, wala po kaming itatago. Ang nangyayari lang po ngayon sa dami ng nagsasalita, naghahalo na po ang katotohanan at kasinungalingan, at handa po kaming harapin ng complaints sa amin. Kung kailangang ma-fine kami o mabigyan kami ng charges, irerespeto namin pero kailangan po, sabi nga nila, kailangang dumaan sa maayos na proseso at kailangan siyang dalhin sa korte kung kinakailangan,” he said.

(We are ready, we will not hide anything. What is happening now is that so many are speaking up, and the truth and lies are getting mixed up. We’re ready to face the complaints agaisnt us. If we will be fined or filed charges, we will respect that, but  as they said, it should go through the right process and should go to court if needed.)

Shandii also apologized to those who were offended by the scene and repeated the production’s previous statement that no one from the team killed a dog: “Meron pong aso na namatay sa pelikula pero hindi po kami ‘yung pumatay sa aso.”

(There was a dog who died in the movie, but we weren’t the ones who killed the dog.)

He added that they were filiming in an area where eating dog meat is a local practice: “Hindi po namin naisip na kailangan po ng permit o kailangan ipagpaalam, o isa po itong illegal act, dahil normal po sa kanila na kumain ng aso,” he said. 

(We didn’t think we needed a permit or needed to ask for permission, or that it was an illegal act, because for them it is normal to eat dogs.)

The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) complained about the movie after viewers called their attention to the dog slaughter scene.

In an earlier post, Film Development Council of the Philippines chairperson Liza Diño said that she was also bothered by it, but was assured that a goat with prosthetics was used for the scene. (READ: ‘Oro’ director, producer address controversial dog slaughter scene)

But after a meeting with the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) executive committee (ExeCom), PAWS, and the Oro production team, Liza said a representative of Oro  admitted to lying, and that a dog was killed in the film. 

PAWS has asked for the movie to be stripped of its festival awards and for it to be pulled out in cinemas. The ExeCom has withdrawn the movie’s Fernando Poe Jr Memorial Award, and it has been temporarily pulled out of cinemas until a new version of the film is submitted. – Rappler.com