They called him Cooper, their “son” and loyal companion.
But last week, the Labrador never came home.
What the family later learned shattered them: Cooper had been beaten to death after sniffing dried fish at a market stall in Barangay Canduman.
Canduman Barangay Captain Dante Borbajo said the incident involved the owner of the dried fish store.
Witnesses told authorities that someone allegedly told the store owner the dog should be killed, calling it a mad dog or “irong buang” because it was drooling.
The dog reportedly escaped from its leash and did not roam freely.
The dog’s owners filed a complaint at the barangay on Wednesday, January 21. A mediation hearing is scheduled for Friday, January 23.
“Gusto nila nga mahatagan og hustisya ilang iro,” Borbajo said, noting the family is determined to pursue the case despite the suspect’s apology.
During mediation, the barangay will clarify the owners’ position, and unresolved cases will be elevated to the Lupon Tagapamayapa.
The volunteer owner, identified as Sgt. Batang Alaska, described Cooper in a social media post as a “son and a true member of our family,” and vowed to seek justice.
“We should not be afraid; the truth will always prevail. Justice is on our side,” they wrote. (VCL)
