Cebu vloggers cited for ‘ghost’ prank

NABBED A vlogger playing a “ghost” in a prank is nabbed by a barangay official in Bogo City, Cebu. —JED MANDAWE /CONTRIBUTOR

CEBU CITY—Four vloggers—two of them minors—have been ordered to render community service for a week for a ghost prank that spooked motorists along a village road in Bogo City in northern Cebu.

Jenelyn Tabaco, village chief of Anonang Sur, said the vloggers—Arvin Gonzaga and John Paul Cabarlles, both 18; a 17-year-old boy; and 16-year-old girl—caused public disturbance and should face the consequences of their actions. The four, as well as their parents, will have to take out the garbage in the area where they conducted the prank as a penalty.

Tabaco said their parents were also sanctioned to make sure the prank would not be repeated.

The four vloggers and their parents, who are residents of Anonang Sur, were summoned by Tabaco after receiving reports that they were behind the series of “ghost” sightings that frightened motorists in passing through the village.

According to Tabaco, they are concerned that the prank may cause an accident since that section of the village road is accident-prone.

Tabaco said no charges were filed against the vloggers since it was the first time that they committed the infraction.

Public apology

Gonzaga and Cabarlles apologized publicly through a video message posted on the official Facebook page of Barangay Anonang Sur on Feb. 7. They promised not to do that prank again.

Tabaco appealed to parents to supervise their children to make sure they would not do something improper and unlawful.

The vloggers said they made a version of a prank that they saw on clips posted on TikTok. One of them put on a white flowing cloth and walked along the road where they placed lighted candles. The rest either took the video of the prank or alerted the group about any incoming motorists.

Tabaco said the first victim was a couple riding a motorcycle who reported encountering a “ghost” seeking help.

Jed Mark Mandawe, a digital editor, said his younger sibling and cousin also fell victims to the prank at 10 p.m. on Feb. 5. But they were able to record it on video and later uploaded the clip.

The video reached the attention of village officials who immediately sent barangay tanod (village watcher) to the area to arrest the group.

The vloggers were later released but Tabaco summoned the group and their parents to her office the next day. The vloggers reportedly told village officials they were having fun and did not realize the gravity of their actions.

“They might cause an accident. [And] my concern is … they could get hit, stabbed, shot [by people who might be offended by the prank],” Tabaco said.