Two Cebu-based vloggers face raps for risky highway stunts

Cebu-based vloggers identified as Boss LB and Boy Banat are facing charges for the stunts they pulled off along highways which endangered the lives of people around them. | Screenshots from BOSS LB and Boy Banat’s FB videos

CEBU CITY, Philippines – For pulling off stunts that caused public inconvenience and posed safety risks, two Cebu-based vloggers are now facing criminal charges.

Police Colonel Wilbert Parilla, chief of the Highway Patrol Group in Central Visayas (HPG-7), revealed on Thursday, April 24, that charges have been filed against the two individuals at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.

The two content creators were identified as “Boy Banat” and “Boss LB.”

Boy Banat was first summoned to the HPG-7 office after dressing up as Son Goku and performing stunts with his friends on a big bike along the Cebu Transcentral Highway in October 2024.

A few months after apologizing and promising not to repeat the offense, Boy Banat once again gained attention—this time for dancing on top of a public utility vehicle.

READ: ‘Spiderman,’ ‘Son Goku’ apologize for Transcentral Highway stunt

Meanwhile, Boss LB faced backlash last month after he cosplayed as a snail and crawled on the highway in Consolacion town, northern Cebu. His video quickly gained over 18,700 reactions and 15,000 shares, but it also sparked public outrage due to the inconvenience and potential danger it posed.

According to Parilla, both men will face legal consequences for the stunts they performed, which could have caused accidents.

He also disclosed that authorities are monitoring other social media users who may similarly be putting lives at risk while filming content in public.

Recently, HPG-7 was called out by their higher office due to the high number of unreported minor road accidents along the Transcentral Highway.

Parilla said most of these accidents were self-inflicted and involved motorists attempting stunts in hopes of being featured on the pages of content creators stationed in certain parts of the area.

These content creators typically take photos and videos of passing motorists, encouraging risky behavior from drivers seeking attention.

To curb this dangerous trend, HPG-7 personnel met with the mayor of Balamban and other local officials last month.

The intervention led to the deployment of police officers in specific areas along the highway that are considered hotspots for stunt performers, particularly during weekends.

Additionally, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) will be installing rumble strips on the road to compel motorists to slow down.

READ: HPG-7 to file cases vs ‘snail man’ vlogger

NBI files raps vs vloggers outside PH for disinformation

Parilla said they are continuously monitoring online content to identify individuals who are behaving recklessly solely for the purpose of creating viral material.

He explained that they will be determining the identities of these individuals and launching investigations. These probes may eventually lead to a recommendation for the issuance of a show cause order from the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

Police will also recommend possible sanctions, such as the suspension or cancellation of the driver’s license.

Parilla added that the local government unit of Balamban is currently reviewing further actions they can take to implement a more long-term solution to the issue.

Following the case of Boy Banat—who reportedly gained more followers after apologizing at the HPG-7 office—authorities have decided to pursue legal action directly instead of summoning erring content creators, as doing so might only give them additional publicity.

“Dili na nato ipatawag kutob sa atong makita nga dunay mga violations na nahimo. So atoang imbestigador will just simply conduct investigation and if evidence warrants for a filing of a criminal offense so atong i-file ang kaso,” said Parilla.

(We will no longer summon them once we see that violations have been committed. So our investigator will simply conduct an investigation, and if the evidence warrants the filing of a criminal offense, then we will proceed to file the case.)

The HPG-7 chief warned all content creators against similar disruptive actions and urged them to think responsibly on how their content would affect the daily lives of the people around them.

“Wala man ta mobawal nga magbuhat silag content. But what we are trying to emphasize is ang safety sa katawhan. Ang atoa gusto na ipahibalo nila nga they have to think og maayo nga dili sila maka-hassle, dili sila makahatag og kadaot or disgrasya sa atoang katawhan,” said Parilla.

(We’re not prohibiting them from creating content. But what we’re trying to emphasize is the safety of the public. What we want is for them to understand that they need to think carefully and ensure that they don’t cause inconvenience, harm, or accidents to the people.)