Cat cruelty caught on CCTV in Pasay

A Pasay City youngster may face up to two years in prison for killing a cat by hitting its head with a meter-long piece of wood — an incident that was caught on CCTV.

A report by GMA News' Susan Enriquez on 24 Oras on Thursday said the suspect was hanging out with his friends about 2 in the morning in Barangay 66 when he suddenly whacked the stray cat on the head.

Barangay tanods who saw the incident on CCTV monitoring immediately went to the area, but the group was no longer there when they arrived.

Because of this, barangay officials invited the youngsters' parents to the barangay hall.

Candelarua Tenoria, mother of John Vince Tenoria, the man who hit the cat, said her son killed the animal because it once bit him. 

"'Kinagat kasi ako niyan,' sabi niyang ganun. Sabi ko, 'Bakit eh nakalipas na yun?" she said.

Precila Vito, the mother of the man who gave the weapon to Tenoria, meanwhile, said her son did not know that the wooden club would be used to kill the cat.

"Di niya akalain na papaluin 'yung pusa," she said.

Brgy. 66 Chairman Lennon Tawat said the group must be held accountable for their action. "Maraming pagbibigay ang ginawa ng barangay diyan," he said.

Under the Animal Welfare Act, anyone who commits animal abuse could face jail time of six months up to two years.

Philippine Animal Welfare Society Executive Director Anna Cabrera said they are willing to press charges against the group once they have the evidence.

"Kahit kami pa mag-file as complainant basta po meron pong person with personal knowledge or kumuha ng CCTV," she said in the report. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News