3 Yrs. kulong at P250K multa sa pagmamalupit sa hayop

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Pebrero 9, 2024

Dear Chief Acosta,

Ano ang katumbas na parusa laban sa taong mapatutunayan na gumawa ng anumang uri ng kalupitan sa hayop dito sa Pilipinas? -- Jefferson

Dear Jefferson, 

Para sa iyong kaalaman, mayroong batas na nakasasaklaw sa iyong katanungan. Ayon sa Section 9 ng Republic Act No. 8485, na inamyendahan ng Republic Act No. 10631, o mas kilala sa tawag na “The Animal Welfare Act of 1998”:

“SEC. 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 (1) year and six (6) months and one (1) day to two (2) years and/or a fine not exceeding One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) if the animal subjected to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect dies;

(2) Imprisonment of one (1) year and one (1) day to one (1) year and six (6) months and/or a fine not exceeding Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) 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

(3) Imprisonment of six (6) months to one (1) year and/or a fine not exceeding Thirty thousand pesos (P30,000.00) for subjecting any animal to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect but without causing its death or incapacitating it to survive on its own.

If the violation is committed by a juridical person, the officer responsible thereof shall serve the imprisonment. If the violation is committed by an alien, he or she shall be immediately deported after the service of sentence without any further proceeding.

The foregoing penalties shall also apply for any other violation of this Act, depending upon the effect or result of the act or omission as defined in the immediately preceding sections.

However, regardless of the resulting condition to the animal/s, the penalty of two (2) years and one (1) day to three (3) years and/or a fine not exceeding Two hundred fifty thousand pesos (P250,000.00) shall be imposed if the offense is committed by any of the following: (1) a syndicate; (2) an offender who makes business out of cruelty to an animal; (3) a public officer or employee; or (4) where at least three (3) animals are involved.

In any of the foregoing situations, the offender shall suffer subsidiary imprisonment in case of insolvency and the inability to pay the fine.”

Sang-ayon sa nabanggit na batas, ang sinumang mapatutunayan na gumawa ng anumang uri ng kalupitan o pang-aabuso sa hayop ay maaaring maparusahan ng pagkakakulong mula anim na buwan hanggang dalawang taon, pagbabayad ng multa mula ₱30,000.00 hanggang ₱100,000.00, depende sa bigat ng kalupitan o pang-aabuso, o parehong pagkakakulong at multa.

Kapag ang kalupitan o pang-aabuso sa hayop, anuman ang resulta nito, ay ginawa naman ng alinman sa mga sumusunod: (1) sindikato; (2) taong ginawang negosyo ang kalupitan o pang-aabuso sa hayop; (3) pampublikong opisyal o empleyado; o (4) hindi bababa sa tatlong hayop ang sangkot, ang parusang ipapataw sa taong mananagot dito ay pagkakakulong ng dalawang taon at isang araw hanggang tatlong taon, multang hindi hihigit sa ₱250,000.00, o parehong pagkakakulong at multa. 

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.