VLOGGERS engaged in public pranks which tend to create panic and disturbance in Metro Manila and the rest of the country not only will face criminal suits but most importantly, risk being shot by unsuspecting lawmen or other gun-holders, the Journal Group was told yesterday.

Officials said that a cop, a soldier, an NBI or a PDEA agent may be forced to pull out his weapon and fire in the line of duty, in self-defense or in defense of a stranger once he witnesses a prank kidnapping, a robbery-holdup or a motor vehicle or motorcycle theft taking place in the streets and doesn’t easily realize that it is a mere prank.

The same applies to gun-holders who were former kidnapping victims or ambush survivors who may fire their weapons once a prank crime is staged in tehir presence.

Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) director, Brigadier General Sydney S. Hernia last week called on vloggers and content creators in the country to be responsible enough for the impact their prank videos may have on innocent individuals warning they will be liable for their prohibited acts.

The top cybercop issued the warning amid the viral ‘Kidnapping Prank’ video made by three vloggers known as Tukomi Brothers which he said highlights the potentially dangerous consequences of irresponsible content creation.

In other foreign countries, authorities have launched a crackdown on pranksters who have intentionally assaulted someone, created a public disturbance or steal or destroy properties while being filmed by their accomplices, all for a prank.

In 2016, wire reports said that four members of the controversial Trollstation YouTube channel in London were jailed in connection with fake robberies and kidnappings.

The group turned out to have been involved in a fake robbery at London’s National Portrait Gallery and a fake kidnapping at Tate Britain in July 2015.

The channel, with 718,000 subscribers, has built a reputation for filming staged pranks around the city. A fifth member was imprisoned in March of the same year following a bomb hoax.

A London prosecutor was quoted as saying that “the hoaxes may have seemed harmless to them, but they caused genuine distress to a number of members of the public, who should be able to go about their daily business without being put in fear in this way. We hope these convictions send a strong message that unlawful activities such as these will not be tolerated in London.”

The London ‘prank’ caused a crowd of people to rush out of the gallery. As a result, the four accused who pleaded guilty to two counts of using threatening, abusive, or insulting words or behavior with intent to cause fear of, or provoke unlawful violence were sentenced to a minimum of 28 weeks in jail.

In the country, many Filipinos and authorities have been angered by antics displayed by vloggers and content creators prompting calls for them to reevaluate their approach to earn money since they have a big influence which they can use in a more positive way.

Some of these vloggers have been accused of putting themselves at risk and at the same time wasting valuable police time and resources.

Last January, police arrested two vloggers after they pranked an attendant of a gasoline station in Mawab town in Davao de Oro on Wednesday for their online content.

Members of the Mawab Municipal Police Station arrested Jonel Cordero and his accomplice Arnold Rabi for pulling a trick that caused alarm to the workers of the gas station located along the National Highway in Barangay Poblacion.

An investigation showed that Cordero went to the station to buy P10 worth of gasoline. He later pretended to drink the gasoline and acted being dizzy and nauseous.

The gasoline station attendants sought the help of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office to provide first-aid. When the rescuers arrived, Cordero continued acting but later admitted they were only pulling a prank when a member of the rescue team started to perform a medical assessment on him.

During questioning, Cordero said he only drank an energy drink, not gasoline. However, he and his cohort were charged for alarm and scandal under Article 155 of the Revised Penal Code.

The recent incident involving the Tukomi vloggers prompted authorities to appeal to the public to avoid pranks that may cause ‘public chaos, alarm and disturbance’ and disrupt the operations of the police force and other government agencies.

Brig. Gen. Hernia said that as social media and online platforms continue to grow in popularity, content creators have an ever-increasing reach and influence. And while prank content can be entertaining and amusing, some creators are taking it too far and creating dangerous, harmful, or illegal content, he added.

The PNP-ACG director said they have observed an increase in the number of incident reports of vloggers staging dangerous pranks such as fake robberies or attacks which have caused fear and panic in public places, disrupted public services, and endangered the safety of others.

These pranks have the potential to lead to serious injuries or even fatalities, and those involved in staging them could face criminal charges, Brig. Gen. Hernia said.

“We take this issue seriously and will hold those responsible accountable for their actions. Vloggers must be aware that their content can significantly impact the publicand ensure that they are not putting anyone’s safety or well-being at risk,” said the official.

Brig. Gen. Hernia said they have initiated a request for the takedown of the viral ‘Kidnapping Prank’ video amid concerns raised by different groups and the PNP leadership headed by General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr.

“The prank has caused considerable distress to those who witnessed it, and the video must be removed from all platforms,” he said.

The official also urged the public to report any content they believe may be harmful or dangerous. “By working together, we can create a safer and more responsible online environment for everyone,” he said.

PNP Public Information Office chief, Colonel Redrico A. Maranan earlier said the PNP-ACG has asked Facebook to take down ‘prank crime’ videos made by a group of vloggers in Metro Manila.

“The PNP-ACG is closely watching the activities of these so-called Tokomi vloggers and will be coordinating with Facebook to take down their videos where they are shown engaging in prank crimes,” said the official.

Col. Maranan said the Las Piñas City Police Station is still waiting for the resolution of the initial criminal complaint recommended against the group of vloggers who were monitored to be unrepentant and are even boasting to make more similar videos in the future since they have some five million viewers.

“We are asking everybody not to engage in similar acts which tend to cause public chaos and confusion and worse, end up in violence,” said the PNP-PIO chief.

The kidnapping prank hatched by the Tokomi vloggers in Las Piñas City last April 6 went awry after an off-duty agent of the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group (PNP-IMEG) confronted them at gunpoint sending the social media personalities into panic after realizing they might be shot by the officer.

It turned out that off-duty IMEG personnel, Staff Sergeant Ronnie Conmingo was buying a construction item in a hardware store along Saging Street, Phase 2, Barangay CAA in Las Piñas City around 4 p.m. last April 6 when a black Toyota Vios suddenly stopped near him and three of its occupants, all wearing black bonnets alighted from the vehicle.

The bonnet-wearing men grabbed a man clad in a sando and short pants and dragged him inside their vehicle prompting the 51-year old SSgt. Conmingo to identify himself as a cop while pulling out his service firearm.

“I thought I was witnessing a real kidnapping incident and had to do my duty to save the victim,” the policeman told the Journal Group in the vernacular.

He said that he was about to fire at the rear wheel of the suspects’ car when suddenly, one of the men who was about to enter the door beside the car driver shouted ‘Sir, this is just a prank’ while raising his arms in surrender.

The other occupants of the car and another person taking a video of the incident also did the same thing and asked for forgiveness from the PNP-IMEG officer.

SSgt. Conmingo did not let the pranksters simply get away with their offense and sought the help of the Las Piñas City Police Station in filing criminal charges against the suspects.

Las Piñas City police chief, Colonel Jaime O. Santos said that a criminal complaint for alarm and scandal was filed against the vloggers before the Office of the City Prosecutor last April 11.