BAGUIO CITY — The Sadanga local government unit (LGU) in Mountain Province broke its silence Tuesday following days of condemnation over the killing of an American Bully dog, confirming that the person facing charges is a municipal staff driver, not an elected official.

The LGU issued an official statement correcting “misleading information circulating online” that alleged the perpetrator was a municipal councilor, or Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Member. The statement explicitly denied that the accused individual is Daniel “Dongpop” Dawadeo.

The controversy erupted after a video went viral, leading to speculation that an elected town official was responsible for the death of the dog, named Axle, on 4 December 2025.

The Sadanga LGU expressed its “unequivocal condemnation of the senseless killing” and affirmed that a case is currently being filed against the staff driver for the act of animal cruelty.

The LGU urged the public to “refrain from spreading unverified claims,” emphasizing the potential harm caused by falsely implicating uninvolved officials.

It follows a separate incident on 8 December, where a local media outlet received an unofficial request, bearing the name of Sadanga but lacking the LGU’s official logo, asking that the article related to Axle’s killing be taken down.

The LGU reaffirmed that it is moving forward with the judicial process to ensure appropriate legal consequences for the staff member.