MMFF pulls Oro from cinemas pending deletion of dog killing scene

The Metro Manila Film Festival Executive Committee has pulled the movie "Oro" from cinemas as a result of a controversial scene showing the killing of a dog, GMA News' Nelson Canlas reported on "24 Oras" Tuesday.

Following a meeting of the MMFF Execom with the movie's producers and representatives of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society, it was agreed that the showing of "Oro" be discontinued pending the deletion of the questioned scene.

The MMFF Execom has also withdrawn the FPJ Memorial Award given to the film after Sen. Grace Poe released a statement regarding the scene depicting the killing of a dog.

"I call on the MMFF organizers to look into the matter of whether a dog was actually butchered as part of the filming of the movie Oro in violation of the existing law on animal welfare," Poe said in a statement on Monday.

"If in fact that were the case [if a dog was indeed killed for the film], I condemn such act and would move for the invalidation of the FPJ award given to the film," she added.

The award is given out at the annual festival in honor of Poe's father, the late film star Fernando Poe Jr. —NB, GMA News