BY DAVE SUAN ALBARADO

Tagbilaran City Mayor Jane Yap of has launched a random crackdown on content creators engaging in dangerous and unethical online behavior, following a series of incidents that sparked public outrage and safety issues.

The campaign intensified after Jordan Ebalde Talictic, 28, known online as “Dakdak,” uploaded a prank video showing himself staging a mock holdup while brandishing what appeared to be a pistol in Tagbilaran City. 

The Baclayon resident’s video quickly went viral, prompting alarmed residents to flood government authorities with calls about the apparent armed robbery.

“My administration will not tolerate anyone who will disrupt the peace and order of the city just for personal gain,” Yap declared in a strongly-worded Facebook post.

Talictic surrendered to PNP authorities at the Tagbilaran City Police Station on Wednesday morning after being hunted down by a special team led by Police Chief John Escober. 

Legal action against the content creator is now being prepared, according to city officials.

The mayor’s Facebook post pointed out the real-world impact of such stunts: “Many families and businesses were worried and frightened because of this.”

The mayor’s enforcement efforts extended to law enforcement personnel themselves. 

Ronald Cagampang Torrejos, a member of the city’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team who also maintains a vlogging presence, was summoned by Yap after his social media post triggered widespread backlash.

Torrejos had made disparaging remarks about young people from rural areas coming to the city and causing disturbances, particularly at the Bool junction. 

The post, written in Bisaya, was widely perceived as insulting to town residents and inappropriate for a police officer.

Critics accused Torrejos of “clout chasing” and abandoning professional standards for social media engagement. 

Reports also surfaced alleging the officer had screamed at people during checkpoints and used insults in his social media interactions to boost engagement.

Following a meeting with Mayor Yap and Police Chief Lt. Col. John Kareen Escober, Torrejos issued a public apology Tuesday, expressing remorse for his “abrasive post.” 

He received a first and final warning from the mayor.

“The police is a bastion of protection of the people and they should not use platforms to engage in abuse,” Yap said, noting that disciplinary action would follow unprofessional conduct.

The Tagbilaran City Council, led by Vice Mayor Atty. Adam Jala, is now drafting an anti-prank ordinance that would impose penalties on individuals creating content with negative public safety impacts. 

The proposed legislation would specifically target prank calls and videos that disrupt peace and order.

The ordinance is a governmental response to the growing influence of social media content creators and the potential public safety risks posed by attention-seeking behavior.

The Tagbilaran incidents reflect a pattern of problematic content creator behavior across the country.

On the same day as Talictic’s surrender, police in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, arrested another prominent content creator.

Jeren Jude Bacas Nebit, 28, known online as “Thailand Girl”, was taken into custody at 11:56 AM on August 8, 2025 at his residence in Southwind Subdivision, Barangay Morales. 

The arrest was conducted by joint elements from multiple police stations executing a warrant issued by Judge Clarissa M. Superable-Develos of the Regional Trial Court in Davao City.

Nebit faces charges of online libel, with the warrant dated May 20, 2025. 

Police Lt. Col. Peter Pinalgan of the Koronadal Police Station confirmed that the suspect was informed of his constitutional rights and remains in custody pending a commitment order from the originating court.

DIGITAL ABUSES

A wave of legal cases involving Filipino content creators has sparked national debate over privacy rights and ethical boundaries in the digital age, as authorities crack down on online misconduct ranging from cyber libel to unauthorized video sharing.

Among the most high-profile cases is that of Ronie Suan, known online as “Boy Tapang,” a Cebu-based vlogger famous for his extreme mukbang videos.

Suan was arrested on April 1, 2025, in Alcoy, Cebu, for allegedly physically abusing his 21-year-old live-in partner, Cristina Morales, following a domestic dispute.

He was charged under Republic Act No. 9262, the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act, and released on P3,000 bail.

Suan had previously drawn criticism for controversial stunts, including using Philippine banknotes to create a “money kite,” which earned a reprimand from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

In another case, Bacolod-based vlogger Cristina Endrado Martino, known as “Langga,” was arrested in February 2024 for cyber libel.

The charges stemmed from allegedly defamatory content posted on her channel, Team Langga Vlog, violating Republic Act No. 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Legal experts warn that the rise of unauthorized filming and privacy breaches—often disguised as “prank” or “reaction” content—has led to violations of the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009. These laws impose penalties ranging from P500,000 in fines to up to seven years in prison for offenders.

The National Privacy Commission (NPC) and the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) have both urged creators to uphold ethical standards and respect individual rights.

“Content creation must not come at the expense of dignity and safety,” said NPC Director Aubin Arn Nieva.

In a related development, a provincial government employee allegedly behind an explicit fake video targeting a critic of the Bohol Capitol has been charged with cybercrime, officials said Saturday.

A Tagbilaran court issued an arrest warrant against the staff member, who was identified by investigators as working for the Provincial Information and Media Office under Governor Aris Aumentado. 

The case was filed by complainant Vanessa Cubrado, whose reputation was allegedly attacked in the post.

The National Bureau of Investigation earlier confirmed that the Facebook account used to upload the doctored video was maintained by the accused. 

Authorities said the post was intended to malign a known critic of the provincial administration.