Mang Domeng's laboratory (Documentary by Jay Taruc)

Episode on March 1, 2010 Monday late night after Saksi Every night, the strong odor of formalin combined with the stench of blood, sweat, and feces emanate from a small laboratory located in the middle of a squatter compound in Manila. Inside this small lab, a man is slouched on his work table, busy preparing for a secret project. Meet Mang Domeng. He slaughters animals, stuffs them, and sells them to schools and students for a living. From cats and mice to iguanas and boas, Mang Domeng does not feel any remorse or pity for killing these animals. This time around, Mang Domeng is preparing to slaughter and stuff a monkey together with his brother. The finished product sells for roughly six thousand pesos, and this is aside from what they’ll earn in the 3 sacks of bullfrogs and a few small sharks being prepared by his daughter. For Mang Domeng, there is nothing wrong with what he is doing. In fact, he believes that he is even helping the students by providing them the materials for their school projects. He says there is a huge demand for animal specimens these days, making his business more lucrative. The I-Witness team of Jay Taruc starts the month of March with a documentary that will surely stun your senses. This shocking documentary airs on Monday after the late night newscast Saksi.

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Sa isang siksikang komunidad sa gitna ng Kamaynilaan, matatagpuan ang isang maliit na laboratoryo. Sa bungad pa lang, malalanghap na ang masangsang na amoy ng formalin. Sa loob ng laboratoryong ito, nakasalampak si Mang Domeng, mabusising inaayos ang mga gamit para sa gagawing proyekto. Trabaho ni Mang Domeng ang kumatay ng iba’t-ibang hayop at gawing “stuffed animal" na kanyang ibinebenta sa mga estudyante. Mapa-pusa, daga, bayawak, sawa, o kahit ano pang hayop, walang awang kinakatay sa ngalan ng pera. Tatlong dekada na itong ginagawa ng kanyang pamilya --- ipinasa mula sa kanyang ama hanggang sa kanyang anak. Kasama ang kanyang kapatid, kinakatay nila ang unggoy para “patayuin" o gawing “stuffed monkey." Iaalok niya ito sa mga tindahan at eskuwelahan sa halagang anim na libo. Hindi pa man din natatapos ang katayan sa unggoy, dumating naman ang maliliit na pating at tatlong sako ng palaka na kakatayin naman ng kanyang anak na babae. Nagkalat naman ang mga buto ng pusa, isda, palaka, pating at shell ng pagong. Sa kahit na anong kalagayan ng hayop --- buhay man o patay --- naibebenta ito nang madalian ni Mang Domeng. Marami na raw kasi siyang suki mula sa mga eskuwelahan at estudyante na lagging umoorder sa kanya. Sisimulan ng I-Witness team ni Jay Taruc ang buwan ng Marso sa pagpapalabas ng isang dokumentaryong bubulabog sa ating kamalayan. Abangan ngayong Lunes ng gabi pagkatapos ng Saksi.