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BY LUIS BUENAFLOR JR.
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Friday, January 6, 2017
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ALVIN Yapan, director of the beleaguered film entry to the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Oro, said the reason why he showed on screen a dog being slaughtered was because it was part of the “culture” of the natives in the place where the film’s story took place.
He also justified himself saying he did not inform the people that slaughtering of dogs for human consumption is illegal because it is not his place nor responsibility to do so, despite the fact that he is fully aware that it is.
He is also impressing upon the movie theater audience that just because slaughtering and eating a dog is part of their “culture” then it’s alright even though it is illegal.
Coming from someone who claims to be a graduate of the Ateneo, that’s the lamest excuse I have ever heard. It’s on the same vein as “frailties of a woman.” But then again, that nincompoop Noynoy Aquino is also a graduate of the Ateneo, so I suppose we should not be surprised.
Before we get lost in the discussion here, let’s first define what culture means, according to the dictionary: “Culture simply is the way of life, especially the general customs and beliefs of a particular group of people at a particular time.” So simply said, it’s just something that is commonly done by a group of people at a certain period of time.
Prostitution is part of the “culture” of almost all countries and peoples of the world and has been practiced since time immemorial. But it’s still illegal in most countries and generally frowned upon and considered immoral.
Human slavery has been part of the “culture” of the United States and Europe till it was finally abolished in the latter part of the 19th century.
It is part of the “culture” of Moslem countries wherein being a homosexual is illegal and considered immoral. In fact till the early ‘60s being homosexual is illegal and immoral in England.
Female circumcision is still part of the “culture” in some countries in Africa. These cultural practices are perhaps the most barbaric, cruel and immoral people imposed upon their fellow human beings.
And that is my point here – just because it is part of the culture that doesn’t make it right or moral.
In the film Oro, a dog was placed inside a sack and beaten to death then slaughtered to be eaten. If that is not cruel then I do not know what is!
By subjecting the theater audience to this, Director Alvin Yapan is already inflicting cruelty upon them.
During my watch as director of the Animal Kingdom Foundation (AKF), we were running after illegal dog traders in Baguio and hauling them off to court. Their classic defence was always “that eating dogs is part of the culture of the Cordilleras.” In most instances the judge throws out their defence and convicts them for violation of Republic Act 8485 or the Animal Welfare Law.
What was shown on screen in the film Oro was a classic case of violation of Section 6 of RA 8485 as amended by RA 10631.
And what is the response of the organizers of the Metro Manila Film Festival and the producers of the film Oro to the complaint of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS)?
It is simply to delete from the movie Oro the scene in question. Yeah right, just sweep it under the rug. What about the director and the people who actually committed a crime? There is no “artistic license” here that justifies the killing and torture of a sentient being, including the blatant violation of the laws of this country.
Later perhaps to avoid further embarrassment, the Executive Committee of the Metro Manila Film Festival in consultation with Sen. Grace Poe stripped the film Oro of the Fernando Poe Jr. Memorial Award.
The purpose of making a movie is not only to entertain but to educate as well, and Director Alvin Yapan failed miserably in that aspect when he did not inform the people involved in the movie that laws are being violated in the process.
I am not surprised as this upstart did that on purpose, the dog slaughter scene was done only on one purpose and that is to create a “cringe” effect to make people talk about the movie.
Well, I suppose people are indeed talking about the movie but not in the way Director Yapan wanted. Just like Edgar Matobato and Leila de Lima, the plan fell flat on his face. However you put it, “culture is not an excuse for cruelty.”/PN
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