MANILA, Philippines — Three vloggers who went viral for staging a kidnapping prank were arrested by authorities last August 1, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP).
In a report on Monday, the PNP said Las Piñas City Police Station arrested vloggers Mark Heroshi San Rafael, Mark Lester San Rafael, and Eleazar Steven Fuentes after their video, which was uploaded last April 7 went viral and drew flak online.
The video was uploaded on the vloggers’ YouTube channel “Tukomi,” featuring one of its members buying food from several side street vendors and food stalls along Saging Street, Phase 2 in Barangay CAA, Las Piñas when suddenly a group of men onboard a vehicle seized him.
After the video went viral, PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group Staff Sergeant Ronnie Conmigo lodged the complaint against the trio, which led to the issuance of a warrant of arrest by Judge Lynnette May Deloria-Manarang of Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) Branch 124.
The suspects are scheduled for an arraignment on August 10 at MTC Branch 124.
“The PNP remains steadfast in upholding the law and ensuring that individuals are held accountable for their deeds. Pranks that induce panic and disrupt public order cannot be taken lightly,” PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said in a statement.