PNP: Crime pranks won’t be taken lightly
The Philippine National Police warned vloggers and online influencers to stop making crime pranks unless they want to end up in jail like the content creators behind the “Tukomi” channel.
Mark Hiroshi San Rafael, his brother Mark Lester San Rafael and Eleazar Steven Fuentes were arrested by the Las Piñas police on Aug. 1 after they were charged before the Las Piñas Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 124 with alarm and scandal.
They were released after posting bail with their arraignment scheduled on Aug. 10. In a prank they recorded for their channel in April, two of the accused had pretended to be kidnappers while the third acted as their victim.
A police officer, however, thought the incident was real and drew his gun against the “kidnappers.”
Police Staff Sgt. Ronnie Conmigo later filed a complaint for alarm and scandal against the trio in the Office of the City Prosecutor “so that they will not repeat their stunts … and prevent copycats of their very dangerous acts.”
In a statement, PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. commended the police and said that pranks causing panic would not be taken lightly.
Article continues after this advertisement“The PNP remains steadfast in upholding the law and ensuring that individuals are held accountable for their deeds,” Acorda said.
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