The line between a prank and crime might appear small to some, but it isn’t thin. The Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested three vloggers on August 1 for staging a kidnapping prank. The video has since gone viral on social media and garnered criticism from the netizens.
The PNP report released on Monday said Las Piñas City Police Station arrested vloggers Mark Heroshi San Rafael, Mark Lester San Rafael, and Eleazar Steven Fuentes for a kidnapping prank video that went viral. The controversial prank created for laughter invited much criticism for treating a crime lightly.
Tukomi vlogger’s viral kidnapping video Explained
The three Filipino vloggers Mark Heroshi San Rafael, Mark Lester San Rafael, and Eleazar Steven Fuentes uploaded the controversial prank on April 7 through their YouTube channel Tukomi. The video features one of its members hopping street side vendors and food stalls along Saging Street, Phase 2 in Barangay CAA, Las Piñas.
As per the plan, a group of men dressed in black t-shirts and masks seized him and dragged him into a black car. The pedestrians appeared concerned about the incident when the ‘kidnapped’ member returned to the store to complete purchasing the items and waved the ‘kidnappers’ to wait for him.
- They repeat the same script at various locations in the over eight-minute-long video. This prank alarmed a police officer in the area, and the vloggers had to clarify the situation at gunpoint. Despite the warnings, the vloggers uploaded the video. It has currently garnered over 83K views and 9.2K likes, but comments criticize the consent saying that abduction isn’t a matter of joke.
How were the Filipino vloggers arrested?
After the video went viral, PNP-Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group Staff Sergeant Ronnie Conmigo complained about the trio. Judge Lynnette May Deloria-Manarang of Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) Branch 124 issued an arrest warrant. Subsequently, police arrested the accused on August 1 and released them on bail on August 2.
Kusang sumuko sa Las Piñas City Police ang tatlong vlogger na kilala sa tawag na “Tukomi” noong August 1, 2023 matapos mailabas ang kanilang warrant of arrest sa kasong alarm and scandal.
Pero nakalaya ang tatlo noong August 2 matapos magpiyansa ng P3,000 kada isa @gmanews pic.twitter.com/nrfEw2VZz3
— Nico Waje (@nicowaje) August 6, 2023
- On August 10, the three Tukomi vloggers must be present in front of the court. They will face the trial under the Article 153 of the Revised Penal Code, which covers disturbances caused by public orders. The defendant may face jail time and/or a fine.
“The PNP remains reliable in maintaining the law and ensuring that individuals face accountability for their deeds,” PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda Jr. said in a statement. He further condoned the pranks that induce panic and disrupt public order stating that they aren’t negligible.
What will happen to the vloggers now?
The three Tukomi vloggers, Mark Heroshi San Rafael, Mark Lester San Rafael, and Eleazar Steven Fuentes, are currently out on bail. They will appear in front of the court for the hearing of their charges on August 10.
Prank kidnapping should be punishable as bomb jokes. Stop watching those type of vloggers….just saying
— Ncy RaMs (@ncyrams) May 2, 2023
- Following this, they will receive the punishment of a fine and/or jail time for violating Article 153. Their prank is considered similar to bomb pranks and received severe backlash. However, there are chances that they will be released with a fine and not face any prison time.
- Netizens are urging for the highest punishment to set an example and urging the followers of the YouTube channel Tukomi to boycott it. Netizens are also leaving comments alerting the parents of children that might come across this video to be aware of vloggers that use crime for comic purposes.
What is your opinion about the Tukomi vloggers’ prank? Share with us in the comments below. For more content, stay with us here at Spiel Times. Make sure you subscribe to our push notifications and never miss an update. You can also follow us on Spiel Anime, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Until next time!
