PALO, Leyte — An animal welfare group has called for a thorough investigation after a viral video allegedly showed four altar servers forcefully feeding a church cat with a liquid believed to be an alcoholic beverage.
The video, uploaded on 1 June, sparked public outrage over the alleged mistreatment of the animal and raised concerns about minors' access to alcoholic drinks.
The incident reportedly occurred at the Palo Metropolitan Cathedral during a farewell gathering for a priest. Church authorities have yet to issue a statement.
According to the uploader, the four altar servers appeared intoxicated during the incident.
The cat, named Ming Ming, was reportedly taken to a veterinarian the following day for examination, although the promised veterinary findings have yet to be released.
The uploader said Ming Ming is a three-year-old cat that was born and raised within the church compound and is one of several animals regularly cared for by the church community.
The Bataan Animal Welfare Society (BAWS) urged church authorities and the local government of Palo to conduct a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation to determine the extent of everyone's involvement.
“While we recognize that minors are entitled to legal protections, protecting children should never be used as a shield to avoid accountability or prevent a proper investigation into possible animal welfare violations,” BAWS said in a statement.
The group also called for greater transparency and accountability, stressing that animals under the care of institutions should be treated humanely.
“Animals are not toys. Animals are not props for social media content. Animals are not objects to be used for amusement,” it added.
Jon Ivan Torreros, student regent of Leyte Normal University and a former altar server at the cathedral, said the incident tarnished the image of both the Palo Cathedral and the Knights of the Altar.
The altar servers involved were reportedly suspended and assigned cleaning duties.
Torreros said they should also undergo seminars on animal welfare to better understand the responsibilities of caring for animals.
