“Snail Man” to faces raps after viral highway stunt

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu-based vlogger Brian Emnace, known online as "Snail Man," will be facing multiple charges after his recent viral video sparked public outrage. Emnace, who goes by the name Boss LB on Reels, was filmed crawling on the national highway in Consolacion, Cebu, causing traffic congestion and endangering motorists.

Following the backlash, Emnace voluntarily went to the Consolacion Police Station to apologize for his actions.

“Mo volunteer diay ko nga moadto sa Consolacion Police Station mangayo ko og pasaylo sa akong dakong sayop nga nabuhat nga dili maayo. Og usa pa sad naka cause ko og kasamok sa dan diri sa Consolacion, naka cause ko og trapik ba, mangayo lang gyud ko og dakong pasaylo gyud tungod sa akoang gibuhat nga di mao. Ilabi na nga naghatag og di maayong pagtulon-an sa mga bata,” Emnace said in a Facebook post.

Despite his public apology, authorities remain firm in pursuing legal action.

“Apology accepted, pero atoa gyud ni siyang ikiha,” said Highway Patrol Group-7 (HPG-7) director Police Colonel Wilbert Parilla.

Parilla confirmed that they have referred the incident to their legal division for filing of appropriate charges against the vlogger.

As of 6:35 p.m. yesterday, Emnace’s apology post had garnered 2.3 million views, 2.5 million likes, 2.5K comments, and 18.2K shares.

This is not the first time HPG-7 has dealt with social media stunts endangering public safety. Last year, the agency issued a show cause order against three content creators dressed as Spiderman, Batman, and Son Goku after their dangerous motorcycle stunt video went viral. The video showed Spiderman riding a high-speed motorcycle with a sidecar, Batman as a passenger, and Son Goku performing stunts on the roof.

While the three creators were not criminally charged, they were fined administratively. However, Parilla emphasized that Emnace’s case will be handled differently.

“Di na ni nato siya ipatawag sa HPG, idiritso na ni siya og kiha,” Parilla said, adding, “Magpasikat gani ta dili sa bati nga pama-agi.”

Parilla reiterated the importance of responsible content creation, especially when public safety is at stake.

“Kadto iyang gibuhat, he is not only endangering his own life but also the safety and the lives of the motorists,” he added. — (FREEMAN)