The crew behind the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry ‘Oro’ found themselves in hot water after it was discovered that a dog was slaughtered on the set. The controversy continues.
Japo Parcero who has “a minor role” in the film narrated her side of the story in a statement called “Behind the Gold, There is Blood.”
According to Parcero, “Two dogs died during the shoot of the film Oro.” One was killed accidentally while the other was killed deliberately.
While Parcero was not in the scene where the slaughter happened, she learned about the incident during the afterparty.
“The production bought the first dog, and the owner, in his excitement to deliver the dog and receive his payment, tied the dog in a sack and unknowingly killed him by suffocation. The production, bent on shooting the scene which apparently was in the script, bought another dog for butchering,” Parcero said.
“That night at the after party, the story relayed to me was that the actor was asked to bludgeon the dog to death. Someone said he was even reduced to tears by the end of the scene because he also didn’t want to do it,” she continued.
READ: ‘Oro’ slammed for alleged animal cruelty
“I don’t know how they were able to convince the ENTIRE CAST AND CREW to ever agree to such an unspeakable act, but the words often used that night were ‘for authenticity’ and ‘we believed in the vision’,” she added.
“I am making a stand. Now I ask the twenty or so people on the island who were there and bore witness to the dog’s murder,” Parcero challenged other members of the production.
Meanwhile, the MMFF executive committee conducted an investigative meeting with representatives of ‘Oro’ and Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS).
Director Alvin Yapan allegedly confirmed that the production crew bought a dog.
“The killing of dogs is a crime as per RA8485 and the filmmakers did not report the illegal act after they filmed it. They also did not declare to the MMFF ExeCom that they filmed an actual crime up until they were asked again as a result of PAWS’ official request for an investigation,” PAWS said.
MMFF executive committee decided to revoke the film’s Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award for Excellence because of the disturbing scene.
