CEBU CITY – Police apprehended a 23-year-old man for splashing hot water on his neighbor’s dog in Barangay Mambaling here on Sunday, Feb. 19.
The suspect, Jason Fuente, and the complainant, Gina Lucido, have agreed to settle the matter amicably but police still filed charges against him for violation of Republic Act 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act.
“We just did our obligation. Regardless of their agreement, we would no longer interfere. Whatever agreement they will have when they face each other in the fiscal’s office, it’s up to them,” said Lt. Col. Janette Rafter, deputy city director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office.
The suspect was on his way home when he splashed the chained dog owned by Lucido’s brother with hot water.
Lucido said they confronted the suspect and he told them that the dog kept barking at him, prompting him to get hot water and splash it on the animal.
She and Fuentes discussed the incident on Monday morning, Feb. 20, at the Fuente Police Station.
Fuentes sought forgiveness while in detention from Lucido. “If you think our dog did something wrong to you, you could have talked to us,” Lucido told the suspect.
Lucido accepted the man’s apology but a compromise agreement was reached to prevent such abuse from happening again. “I will give him a second chance but this should serve as an eye-opener that animals should not be maltreated,” Lucido said.