NAGUILIAN, La Union – Three men aboard a closed Mitsubishi L-300 van loaded with 60 dogs were arrested by policemen in this town at dawn yesterday.
Police investigators said the van was bound for Baguio City and was traveling through Naguilian when it was intercepted. An informant tipped off the police about the canine cargo.
The three suspects were identified as Carlson Medina, Arnold Aguilar, and Generoso Cabrera, all residents of Biñan, Laguna.
Last week, four men were also arrested while trying to transport 70 dogs to Baguio City and La Trinidad, Benguet. Arrested were Rogelio Zapata, Louie Peralta, Rolando Zapata and Raymundo Maradilla, all of San Pedro town, Laguna.
All the seven suspects were detained in the municipal jail here for violation of Republic Act 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act of 1998.
Dr. Flosie Decena, officer in charge of the animal impounding area in San Fernando City, where the dogs were brought, reported that the three men were on board a thickly tinted L-300 van which was loaded with the 60 dogs.
The suspects were apprehended by policemen at a checkpoint on Nagulian Road after Dr. Winston Samaniego of the Animal Kingdom Foundation informed the police about the suspicious vehicle.
