LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — A lawyer and animal welfare advocate has filed criminal charges against a restaurant owner in Benguet for allegedly serving dog meat to customers.

Attorney Amadeo B. Degay filed a complaint-affidavit before the Benguet Provincial Prosecutor's Office and the Justice Hall in La Trinidad on 3 June 2026 against the owner of a restaurant in the municipality.

The legal action came more than eight months after Degay conducted an investigation into allegations that the establishment was serving dog meat. During a visit to the restaurant on 13 October 2025, he reportedly noticed a menu item listed as "Spare," which he said referred to a dish made from dog meat.

According to Degay, an employee confirmed that the menu item contained dog meat. He then purchased a takeout order under the assumed name "Joseph" and documented the transaction using a mobile phone.

The meat sample was later submitted to the Regional Technical Operations Center of the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) in the Cordillera for laboratory examination. The sample was subsequently forwarded to the agency's Laboratory Division in Quezon City.

On 22 October 2025, the laboratory issued a molecular biology report confirming the presence of dog DNA in the sample, according to the complaint.

The restaurant owner now faces multiple charges, including violation of Section 56 of Republic Act 9296, or the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines, which penalizes the sale of uninspected meat, and Republic Act 9482, or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007, which prohibits the trading of dogs for meat.

Additional charges were filed under Article 40 of Republic Act 7394, or the Consumer Act of the Philippines, for allegedly selling adulterated food unfit for consumption, and Section 37 of Republic Act 10611, or the Food Safety Act of 2013.