18 stray cats die after being placed in sack

Eighteen stray cats died in Malabon City after they were placed individually inside a sack on Saturday.

According to a spot report of the Malabon Police, several policemen were conducting Oplan Sita on Tanigue Street in Barangay Longos at around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday when they saw a man suspiciously putting something inside a sack.

"Nagko-conduct ng Oplan Sita tapos nakita nila 'yung suspek na may nilagay na pusa sa sako kaya in-accost nila 'yon. Hinahanapan nila ng kaukulang dokumento sa panghuli e wala naman siyang maipakita. Kaya nung tiningnan, 'yung sako maraming nakalagay na pusa," Malabon police staff duty officer Police Inspector Ferdinand Espiritu said.

Eighteen cats were found stuffed inside a sack in Malabon on Saturday. The suspect said the cats were to be sold to medical students for study purposes at P40 each. Photo courtesy of Malabon Police

The suspect identified as Juan Espayos said the cats were placed inside a sack to prevent them from getting away.

The cats were being sold to medical students for medical study purposes, according to the suspect. Each cat costs P40.

"Para sa estudyante. Binibili naman po sa 'min 'yon. Kalat naman 'yung iba kaya kinukuha naman po namin," the suspect said.

Another suspect identified as Arthuro Sanchez said they did not steal the cats from their owners.

"'Yung pusa hinihingi ho namin sa mga palengke, 'yung mga perwisyo sa may ano e, sabi salot nga lang daw 'yon. Kaya ginawa namin inuwi namin," he said.

All 18 cats recovered eventually died.

The suspects said the cats could have lived if they were set free at the police station.

Malabon police on the other hand said the cats were already very weak when they arrived at the station.

"Nakasako lang e kaya lang tinali nila siguro. 'Di makakahinga. 'Yun kaya namatay siguro... Pagdating diyan mahina na 'yan e kaya natuluyan na," Espiritu said.

The suspects will be charged for violating the Animal Welfare Act. —KG, GMA News