| To the great disappointment and shock of animal welfare advocates, the UP Student Disciplinary Tribunal in its two-page decision dated November 5, 2009 dismissed the case filed against Joseph Carlo Candare, a BS Physics major of the UP College of Science for allegedly deliberately stomping a kitten to death last April 13, 2009.
Candare earned the ire of many animal lovers, and consequently, many animal rights groups for bragging about the incident on his personal log on the world wide web (web log or “blog”).
Excerpts from the infamous blog are as follows:
“I pulled it on its tail and threw it. Then like some pro wrestler I jumped on it and my feet landed on it's torso. Slam! Felt good!”
“This isn't the first time I've killed a cat but this time it's different. It didn't occur to me back then that the cat had a leash. So I think somebody owns it. Well it's very well loved in NIP from what I heard and I just ended it's life. So there you go I'm sorry. And I wont be striking another one for maybe about a month.”
Questions about Candare’s state of mind cropped up when blog-readers came across these statements from the 19-year old student:
“It feels good when your beating it(a cat) up but you suddenly feel something strange when it turns off permanently. That's how I feel right now. And maybe for the next days. Dang, am I a cat serial killer?”
“It is worrisome when a university declares that there is “no misconduct” in killing a helpless kitten in plain view of fellow students right within the school premises,” said Nancy Cu-unjieng, President of Compassion and Responsibility for Animals or CARA, the animal welfare organization that filed the instant complaint before the UP Tribunal.
Anna Cabrera, Program Director of The Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), agreed that the dismissal was “a dangerous precedent for a university to make”.
In a statement to the press, PAWS said: “The violence and deliberateness of the act which should have evoked outrage from school officials and a call for immediate disciplinary action was instead met with a shrug of the shoulders and a pronouncement that ‘killing animals – though it is a national crime – is, as ‘not even classified as an actionable misconduct under the university’s Rules.’”
“What message is the Tribunal sending out? Basically, it is implied that students can openly hurt animals and not face any consequences for their actions. We think that it is deplorable and shameful for an institution not to strongly condemn acts of animal cruelty,” commented Cabrera.
The three-member UP Tribunal composed of Ma. Crisanta Flores, Ma. Theresa Payongayong and Chairman Jonathan P. Sale stated in its Resolution that: While “it is true that Section 1 of the (Rules and Regulations on Student Conduct and Discipline) RRSCD states that, as the basis of discipline, ‘ a student shall at all times observe the laws of the land..’ and that part of the law of the land is Republic Act No. 8485 (the Animal Welfare Act), Section 6 of which makes it unlawful for anyone to torture or maltreat animals; and that Mr. Candare did to the kitten clearly constitutes maltreatment , if not outright torture... not all violations of laws are actionable misconducts.”
“Candare’s actions – deplorable though they may seem to some, if not most, people, do not constitute any misconduct actionable under University rules.”
“Consequently, it is thus respectfully recommended that the Tribunal DISMISS the instant complaint”
Violation of the Animal Welfare Act is considered a criminal act punishable with six months up to two years imprisonment or a fine ranging from P1000 to P5000.
While recorded prosecutions under this special law have been few since its approval in 1998, PAWS, who spearheaded the lobbying of the said law, is slowly making headway by helping an increasing number of ordinary citizens file cases against animal offenders in Court.
PAWS filed a criminal case against Candare before the QC Hall of Justice where the case is for resolution at the QC Prosecutor’s Office.
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While the UP decision is lamentable, PAWS is hopeful that the criminal case it filed, which is still pending for Resolution at the QC Prosecutor's Office, will have better results.
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 | I do hope that the pending case that was filed will not have the same result that of UP's. :( |
| May I ask permission for this entry to be reposted in my blog? |
 | Oh my God, this is utterly unacceptable! I can't believe they dismissed it just like that! Our country is eons away from protecting animal rights. I always watch Animal Cops on Animal Planet and I really admire how they fight for animal rights, and how the government actually supports them. Medical neglect in the US (not bringing your pet to the vet for proper medical attention) is punishable by law, what more for this barbaric act of abuse! I couldn't believe this just happened! And to think that UP is a university owned by the state, which should, at all times, uphold the law!
I really hope the legal case against him will get him jailed. |
| May I also repost this entry? |
 | cant believe it was dismissed. :| ima repost okay? |
| il just link ur site nlng pala on my fb :) |
 | chessbuff wrote on Nov 25, '09, edited on Nov 25, '09 It's a serious setback for animal rights and a great disappoinment, but I was not surprised. From the very beginning, UP provided a protective embrace for Candare as if it was UP's reputation under scrutiny rather than the behaviour of one of its students. This decision, I think, will have the opposite effect, and it will stain the university's image permanently. Why go down in flames for the sake of a serial cat killer? Essentially, the tribunal's legal mumbo jumbo says that it was a terrible thing, but it's ok. It's as shameless and defiant as that. The tribunal has retreated from the burden of responsibility placed upon it. But, the criminal case against Candare is out of their control. Let's hope for a better result there. |
 | The tribunal has proven itself to be a huge disappointment.
Can we not appeal this decision?
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 | Why doesn't somebody find out where he lives and give him a beating? Wish I cud. |
| chessbuff wrote on Nov 25, '09, edited on Nov 25, '09 It was said, months ago, that life became so uncomfortable for him at UP that he feared for his safety. This tribunal decision, I reckon, also means he will remain a student there. But that may not be as good as it sounds. The subpoena for him to appear in court was addressed to him at UP because his home address wasn't known ( or UP wasn't willing to provide it). He may have avoided appearing in court due to that. I don't know what happened when the subpoena was issued a second time. Anyway, with Candare as a resident student at the university again, then he would be there in person and cannot avoid the subpoena. Just a thought... |
| Time for somebody, wearing hob-nailed boots, to pay him a visit.
I believe people who bully shud get a taste of their own medicine.
Anybody who kills a defenceless animal and boasts about it needs a little bit of hospital time. |
 | how evil!!!!! tell us how we can help so this case will push through... :'l |
| the media should know this and get the attention of the UP administration... the media should cover this story it is threatening not only to the animals that he can kill but also to the people around him,,, i believe that this person isn't on his right state of mind.. I also agree to franyx that "he should get a dose of his own medicine" evil!!!!!! I pray that God will give him a lesson he won't forget!!!!!!!!!! |
| The pixie in the sky can't help like a baseball bat can help. |
 | i just hope he doesn't encounter a panther, tiger or lion during the rest of his miserable excuse for a life & mangle his ass to bits... |
| With this case, I do anticipate that a follow-up report be made televised as per princesstna so that it will get the attention of the individuals concerned. :) |
 | Unbelievable. I'm thinking none of the members of the tribunal have any pets. =/ |
 | he should be thrown into a den of lions. haha. at least students are made aware to respect animals. wag na tayo umasa sa mga paglilitis na yan dahil wala din namang nagagawa. |
 | 9494b wrote on Dec 18, '09 Joseph Carlo Candare should be stucked in a trunk and pounded with a backhoe. He is a real freak of nature. His mother should have wrung his neck when he was a kid. Why??? He is a homicidal maniac, animals (kittens) for now but soon, tao na is next on his list. If you raise a child who has no respect for animals and their welfare, don't expect them to have compassion on their human kind. As for the University Of the Philippines tribunal---tsk.. tsk... naturingang mga taga- U.P. |
 | Have they ever thought that killing animals might be a sign of being a serial killer? He might not satisfy himself on killing animals and put humans on his next list. They should act on this immediately. |
 | In his books on serial killers, John Douglas mentioned that one common trait is cruelty to animals. If UP Diliman doesn't act on this and Candare doesn't get a disciplinary action, it is highly probable that he will do it again. But next time around, he will be more careful on where he does it & he will make sure he is not caught (i.e. share the experience in his blog). |
 | he better not show up around my place |
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May I ask permission for this entry to be reposted in my blog? 
