Laboratory tests have confirmed the presence of dog meat in a dish bought from a restaurant in La Trinidad, Benguet, prompting the filing of new criminal complaints, while a separate operation in nearby Baguio City led to the arrest of a man allegedly caught slaughtering three dogs.

The National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) confirmed that a food sample submitted for testing contained dog DNA. The dish had been purchased from a restaurant in La Trinidad.

According to the laboratory results, the food tested positive for dog DNA.

Animal welfare advocate lawyer Amadeo Degay said this was the second confirmed case involving food allegedly served by a restaurant with the same name in La Trinidad.

"The second one involves another restaurant with the same name. Nakapag-order ang ilang government employees ng two servings ng suspected dog meat. And the meat was sent by NMIS Baguio City to their laboratory and the result is again positive," Degay said.

Following the laboratory findings, Degay filed four new criminal complaints against the owner of the establishment. The restaurant owner has yet to issue a statement.

Degay said the Animal Welfare Act allows limited exemptions involving the killing of dogs for certain cultural rituals, but questioned claims that slaughtering dogs for food is part of local culture.

"There are instances when a cultural ritual required the killing of dogs. That is an exemption under the Animal Welfare Act, but to say that it is our culture to butcher dogs para lang kainin 'yung meat, that is disputable," he said.

In a separate incident, police arrested a 44-year-old man who was allegedly caught slaughtering three dogs in Barangay Kias, Baguio City on July 12.

Police said officers from Baguio City Police Station 4 responded at around 1 p.m. after receiving a report about the incident.

The suspect now faces three separate charges for violating Republic Act No. 8485, or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998.

He has yet to issue a statement, as of posting.