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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4377

House Bill No.

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES
EVELINA G. ESCUDERO
and
MARIA VIDA ESPINOSA BRAVO.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Public interest in animal rights has intensified dramatically in the past
years. Serious efforts by animal welfare advocates to prevent animal cruelty
had paved the way for the enactment of Republic Act No. 8485. This-was the
Animal Welfare Act of 1998.

The purpose of the said law is to protect and promote the welfare of all
animals in the Philippines. Animal cruelty is a repulsive act against some of
the most vulnerable members of society. Consistent with this objective, RA
No. 8485 provides penalties for violation of any provisions of said law
including torture, neglect and maltreatment of animals.

However, there are still reports that high incidence of cruelty to
animals, especially to dogs, man’s best friend, continues to exist. Last
September 15, 2016, it was reported in several news networks (print, online,
television) that the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Network for
Animals, a non-government organization (NGO), found in a vacant lot in
Barangay San Roque, San Pedro, Laguna, four hundred (400) kilos of dog
meat. The NGO received a tip that dogs are being butchered in the area to be
sold in Baguio City. Dogs are sold from P10.00 to P100.00 depending on the
size of the dog. Dog meat are said to sell at P140.00 per kilo.

Under RA No. 8485 as amended, violators of any provisions of said
law shall be punished by imprisonment ranging from six (6) months to three
(3) years or a fine ranging from Thirty thousand pesos (P30,000.00) to Two
Hundred Fifty thousand pesos (P250,000.00), or both at the discretion of the
court.


It is submitted that the penalties imposed under the present law are not
enough to deter the commission of prohibited acts.

This bill seeks to put more teeth to the law by imposing stiffer penalties
to violators. Also under this proposal, violators shall not benefit from
Presidential Decree No. 968 or the Probation Law, if the anima! subjected to
cruelty dies, as the penalty thereof is raised to more than 6 years
imprisonment.

With this measure, it is hoped that the incidence of animal cruelty may
not just be decreased, but be totally eliminated. It is in this view that the
immediate passage of the bill is earnestly sought.

iMedihy

“EVELINA G. ESCUDERO
Representative
First (1) District, Sorsogon

VIDA ESPINOSA BRAVO
Représentative
irst (1%) District, Masbate


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.4377

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES
EVELINA G. ESCUDERO
and
MARIA VIDA ESPINOSA BRAVO

AN ACT
INCREASING THE PENALTIES FOR ANIMAL
CRUELTY, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8485 ENTITLED, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE “ANIMAL WELFARE ACT OF 1998,”
AS AMENDED, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines
in Congress assembled.

SECTION 1. Increasing the Penalties Against Animal Cruelty. -
Section 9 of Republic Act 8485, as amended, is further amended to read as
follows:

Section 9. Any person who subjects any animal to cruelty,

maltreatment or neglect shall, upon conviction by final

judgment, be punished by imprisonment and/or fine, as indicated

in the following graduated scale:

1) Imprisonment of [one-4)-year-and-six-(6)}-months-and
ene{1} day-to-two-years] SIX (6) YEARS AND SIX

(6) MONTHS AND ONE (1) DAY TO EIGHT (8)


19

20

21

22

3)

YEARS and/or fine not exceeding [One—hundred

thousand—pesos(P100,000.00)] FIVE HUNDRED

THOUSAND PESOS (P500,000.00) if the animal

subjected to cruelty, maltreatment, or neglect die:
Imprisonment of [ene-4}-year-and-one-}-dayte-one
CDyearand-six(6}months] THREE (3) YEARS AND.
SIX (6) MONTHS AND ONE (1) DAY TO SIX (6)
YEARS and/or a fine not exceeding [Fifythousand
peses—{P50-000-00)] THREE HUNDRED FIFTY
PESOS (P350,000.00) if the animal subjected to
cruelty, maltreatment or neglect survives but is
severely injured with loss of its natural faculty to
survive on its own and needing human intervention to
sustain its life; and

Imprisonment of [six6}+menths—te—ene—H)-year]
THREE (3) YEARS AND SIX MONTHS AND (1)
DAY and/or fine not exceeding [Fhirty-thousand-peses
(P30,000-00)], TWO HUNDRED FIFTY
THOUSAND PESOS (P250,000.00) for subjecting
any animal to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect but
without causing its death or incapacitating it to survive

on its own.

SECTION 2. Separability Clause. - \f any provision of this Act is
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby

shall remain in full force and effect.


SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. - All laws, acts, decrees, executive
orders, issuances, and rules and regulations or parts thereof which are contrary
to and inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified
accordingly.

SECTION 4. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15)
days from its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general

circulation.

APPROVED.