PETA and NBI Investigation of Gruesome Videos Depicting Cruelty to Animals Leads to Arrest of Dorma and Vic Ridon

Burgos, La Union — Dorma (“Chita”) and Vicente Ridon, the couple charged with crimes related to the production of a series of “crush” videos in which scantily clad young girls engage in the torture killing of animals, were arrested by the police early on Tuesday morning in Burgos. The arrests came as the result of a year-long investigation by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). The Ridons, who have posted bail, have been charged with violations of child abuse (RA 7610) and animal welfare (RA 8485) laws, and expected to face further charges involving human trafficking (RA 9208), and wildlife protection (RA 9147) laws. They are expected to face trial within the year.

PETA’s hotline received more than 200 reports in the week following the group’s appeal for help.

“The vicious disregard for the animal suffering shown in these sadistic videos must be severely punished,” says PETA Asia’s campaigns manager, Rochelle Regodon. “This is a warning to anyone who would commit cruelty-to-animals crimes: The public takes it seriously and will do all it can to see justice served.”

The “crush” videos depict extreme cruelty to animals, including a rabbit as he or she was skinned alive, rabbits as they flailed and screamed while their ears were cut off and as they were set on fire, a dog as he or she was burned with a clothes iron, a monkey and several dogs as they were repeatedly hit in the eye with the sharp end of a stiletto heel, and puppies as they were crushed until they vomited their own internal organs.

For more information, please visit PETAAsiaPacific.com.