Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Controversy continues to hound Metro Manila Film Fest (MMFF) entry “Oro.”
On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media discussed the infamous dog-slaughter scene in the movie.
Committee Chair Sen. Grace Poe asked the filmmakers why an animal was killed during production.
“Kung hindi talaga kailangan sa scene, bakit pinatay pa? Diba sabi ninyo hindi naman ninyo kukunan yung actual na pagpatay sa aso?” Poe asked.
[Translation: “If it wasn’t necessary for the scene, why was the dog killed? Didn’t you say that you wouldn’t film the actual killing of the dog?”]
Related: The legal and cultural implications of killing a dog for film
The MMFF executive committee withdrew the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award from “Oro,” after Poe found the scene objectionable and called for a Senate investigation on the issue.
“Oro” producers earlier denied they slaughtered a dog for the movie, but a cast member later claimed that two dogs were killed during filming.
At the Senate hearing, “Oro” director Alvin Yapan insisted the slaughter scene was unintentional.
He claimed the filming crew only happened upon some locals butchering a dog at a wake.
Yapan reasoned eating asucena or dog meat is a tradition in Camarines Sur, where “Oro” was filmed.
But Poe said it was still unacceptable because the script indicated a dog would have to be killed in the movie.
Yapan said the dog was only hit once on the head, not tortured.
Read: Oro’ director, producer break silence over controversial dog killing scene
Actress Nora Aunor, a guest at the hearing, claimed Yapan was lying. She was originally considered for the movie and was able to read the script.
Aunor said the script did say that a dog would be killed, and she even detailed how the scene was supposed to happen.
The dog was hit by a wood beam until it died and was then gutted with a knife, Aunor claimed.
Poe asked Yapan to apologize. The director then issued a public apology to those who were offended by the slaughter scene.
However, Yapan claimed the attention his film is getting seems unfair.
“Yung araw-araw na pagpatay ng tao ay hindi na natin iniinda. Yun pang hayop ang mas may karapatan pang pinaglalaban natin minsan,” he said.
[Translation: “We are no longer concerned about the killing of humans every day. But sometimes, we fight harder for animal rights.”]
Executive producer Feliz Guerrero earlier said the controversy steers people away from the issue depicted in “Oro:” the violation of human rights.
Read: Directors’ Guild to investigate ‘Oro’ filmmaker over animal cruelty complaint
But MMFF selection committee member Mae Paner hit Yapan for justifying the killing of the dog.
Paner told Yapan not to use cultural appropriation as an excuse for the animal’s killing. She said Yapan, who graduated from Ateneo De Manila University, should have known better.
Although Yapan apologized, Poe said the case against “Oro” stays.
Yapan and other members of the “Oro” crew are facing a complaint before the Pasig Prosecutor’s Office for violating the Animal Welfare Act.
CNN Philippines correspondent Anjo Alimario contributed to this report.
