The man suspected of killing Killua, a three-year-old golden retriever in Bato, Camarines Sur, has been indicted for alleged animal cruelty, according to the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS).
In a three-page resolution shared by PAWS, provincial prosecutors in Camarines Sur found probable cause to charge the suspect under Republic Act No. 8485, also known as the Animal Welfare Act of 1998.
“The manner by which Killua was killed sustains a finding of probable cause to charge respondent for violation of the above-cited law,” stated the resolution authored by Prosecutor Wilhenry Villar. The resolution criticized the respondent, a barangay tanod, for failing to handle the situation appropriately. “Being a barangay tanod, respondent should have looked for the owner of the dog and reported the incident to the barangay. The dog may have caused trouble or inconvenience in the neighborhood and tested positive for rabies, but still, there are proper and lawful ways to manage the situation. Subjecting Killua to such cruelty and maltreatment will never be justified,” it added.
Prosecutors found insufficient evidence to charge the suspect with violating the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007 over allegations of involvement in dog meat trading. “The fact that respondent owns a store selling viands and the allegation that the dog was found at the place of a certain Ibanez is not sufficient proof that respondent is engaged in the business of dog meat trading,” they noted.
The incident sparked widespread outrage in March when dog owner Vina Rachelle Arazas called for justice over Killua’s death on social media. CCTV footage revealed that Killua jumped from their house’s roof around 5 a.m. on a Sunday and allegedly attacked a resident. The suspect then chased the dog and beat it to death, claiming Killua had bitten his leg.
PAWS confirmed that Killua tested positive for the rabies virus.