Indigenous leaders condemn vlogger for disturbing Sagada burial site

BAGUIO CITY — A social media vlogger is facing widespread condemnation and potential legal action after posting a video that showed him handling human remains at a sacred burial site in Mountain Province.

The video, posted 23 February by vlogger Crist Briand, depicted the content creator holding a human skull while referring to the ancestors of the Hanging Coffins as “pagans.” Although a voice in the background of the footage corrected Briand, noting the location was actually the Burial Cave, the video garnered significant views before being deleted.

The incident has sparked outrage among Sagada residents and indigenous rights advocates, who say the vlogger ignored clear signage prohibiting the touching of remains.

“How could a guide allow such a violation to occur?” said Alma Louise B. Bagano, a local resident who has publicly called for the municipal government to declare Briand persona non grata.

Michael Umaming, a former official with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples, noted that physical barriers and railings are installed at these sites specifically to prevent visitors from disturbing ancestral coffins.

Umaming also criticized Briand’s use of the word “pagan,” explaining that Sagada’s ancestors practiced a complex spirituality that was later integrated with Christian traditions.

This is the latest in a series of controversies for Briand, who has more than 1 million followers. In January, the municipality of Bauang in La Union declared him persona non grata after he posted content mocking the town’s name.

Additionally, the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos issued a show-cause order against Briand in late 2025 following a joke involving “halal pork.”