An Australian man orchestrated videos where dogs were butchered by scantily dressed women, landing his Filipino accomplices in prison for life, a court has heard.
Dorma and Vicente Ridon, both 54, were on Monday convicted of human trafficking, cruelty to animals, child abuse and violating wildlife protection laws.
The regional court in the northern Philippines province of La Union heard the married couple made what are known as "crush" videos - where animals are killed for sexual fetishisation.
Vicente "Vic" Ridon told the court his customer and "director" of the videos was an Australian man known to him as "Mick Tanks" or "Michael Clark", whom he met playing online video games in 2007.
The man, who's existence hasn't been fully confirmed, asked him to make a video for him of someone riding a carabao (water buffalo), a role Ridon's housemaid volunteered for, Ridon claimed.
Later he sent the video equipment and a courier to pick up the tape, the court was told.
Some scripts called for women to be videoed butchering dogs, others to stretch apart snakes. One actor was a girl aged 12.
The man sent $100-$200 in payment and the enterprise continued for about a year, until he wanted a woman to appear naked, the court heard.
The case was pursued by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in a year-long investigation.
While the conviction can still be appealed, PETA says the verdict is a victory for Philippine law enforcement and anti-cruelty campaigners.
"The Ridons' sentences are a warning to anyone involved in the vile 'crush' video industry: there are grave consequences to harming animals," PETA Asia vice president Jason Baker said.
PETA says it will now turn its focus to pursuing the Australian man and people who bought the crush videos.
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