Man in VIRAL video feeding puppy to python found; Police say puppy is ALIVE

GATTARAN, Cagayan — The man identified online in a viral video showing a puppy and a python has been located by police, who found that the puppy was alive and in good condition and that the allegation it was intentionally fed to the snake was unsubstantiated.

The Gattaran Municipal Police Station conducted verification and visited the residence of Rommel Martinez following the circulation of the video and allegations that he had deliberately fed his pet puppy to a python.

According to Martinez’s statement obtained by police, he found the snake already dead and brought it home. He said that after he placed the snake down, their puppy approached it and crawled into its body, prompting him to record the video.

Police later inspected the situation and confirmed that the puppy was alive and in good condition.

Martinez also denied intentionally harming his pet and clarified the circumstances surrounding the video. He apologized for the confusion and concern caused by his social media post.

The Cagayan Provincial Information Office, in a September 21 report, said the Gattaran police conducted the verification after the video circulated online and prompted reactions from netizens and animal welfare advocates.

Based on the police verification, there was no evidence to substantiate the claim that Martinez fed the puppy to the python.

The incident highlights the need to verify the circumstances behind viral social media posts before drawing conclusions from the content.