Authorities arrested a vlogger who played a prank that he has 2019 new coronavirus or nCoV at a mall in Legaspi City, Albay.
Police Captain Dexter Panganiban, the spokesman for the Albay Provincial Police Office (PPO), identified the suspect as Marlon de Vera, an active vlogger or video blogger in the province and resident of Purok 2, Brgy. Bigano, Legaspi City.
The suspect is set to face the alarm and scandal case Yashamo mall filed against him after shoppers panicked and ran out of the mall because of the nCoV scenario scare he played.
It was around 6:00 pm when de Vera lay down at the mall’s entrance wearing a black mask, white shirt, and denim pants. He pretended he had a seizure and had lost consciousness.
Vlogger played nCoV prank at Legaspi mall arrested
The fake scenario was even videoed by the suspect’s colleague, and a few minutes later, the suspect stood up and did a bit of stretching.
He then shook hands with guard and said he had the nCoV, which resulted in the panic of shoppers who were running in a hurry to get away from the mall’s entrance.
On Monday, after he was arrested, the suspect apologized for his posted video, saying he just wanted to make people happy amid a dreaded coronavirus.
“Natatakot ako sa mangyayari, nabalitaan kung kakasuhan ako ng may-ari ng mall, hindi ko naman akalain na ganito ang mangyayari sa pagbibiro ko, gusto ko lang magpasaya, lahat kasi takot sa (2019) nCoV virus,” the suspect said.
(I was scared of what was going to happen. I heard that the mall owner would sue me. I would never have imagined this would happen because of my prank. I just want them to be happy because everyone is afraid of the (2019) nCoV virus.)
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