Victory! Illegal Horse Fighting Derby in Bukidnon Canceled After PETA Complaint

Bukidnon — Acting on a tip from PETA, authorities in San Fernando, Bukidnon, have shut down an illegal five-day horse fighting event that had been set to run from September 15 to 19—sparing as many as 165 horses from being forced to bite, kick, and bash each other bloody while crowds place bets.

PETA sent a letter to San Fernando Police Chief PMAJ Arnold D. Formento, noting that the event would violate the Animal Welfare Act—which explicitly prohibits horse fights—and warning that such spectacles are commonly tied to illegal gambling operations. Formento took the case to the mayor and other local officials, who worked together to stop the event from taking place. Formento also spoke with Indigenous residents of San Fernando, who said they wanted no part of horse fighting and accused organizers—described as a large-scale gambling syndicate—of invoking their communities and “cultural tradition” as a cover.

“Horse fighting is a cruel, criminal racket in which stallions are whipped into a frenzy and forced to tear each other apart while screaming crowds bet on the outcome,” says PETA President Jason Baker. “PETA is calling on local officials across the country to follow San Fernando’s example and act swiftly to shut down these violent, illegal events.”

During horse fighting events, stallions are restrained in close proximity to a mare in order to deliberately provoke them before they’re forced into the ring. Horses used in these events frequently suffer deep gashes and broken bones—and some have had their ears ripped off or their eyes knocked out. Those deemed no longer useful may be slaughtered for meat.

The Bukidnon derby is the latest in a string of illegal horse events PETA has helped stop, including races in Liliw, Laguna; and in Lucban and Tayabas City, Quezon. PETA urges anyone with information about horse fighting or other illegal activities involving animals to report it immediately to local authorities or to PETA.

PETA Asia—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any other way”—points out that when it comes to the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a horse is a dog is a boy. For more information, please visit PETAAsia.com or follow PETA Asia on X, Facebook, or LinkedIn.

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